..  .  .  .  . 


EZRA  MANTZ 


AN  ACCURATE 

AND 

INTERESTING  ACCOUNT 

OF   THE 

HARDSHIPS  AND  SUFFERINGS 

OF     THAT 

BAND  OF  HEROES, 

WHO    TRAVERSED  THE  WILDERNESS 
IIST    THE 

CAMPAIGN  AGAINST  QUEBEC 

IN  1775. 


BY  JOHN  JOSEPH  IfENRY,  ESQ. 

PRESIDENT   OF    THE    SECOND    JUDICIAL   DIS- 
TRICT  OF 


LANCASTER: 
PRINTED  BY  WILLIAM  GREEK, 


COPT-RIGHT  SECURED 

According  to  Law. 
.•f..^-:)^ 


TO  THE  PUBLIC, 


THIS  work  is  given  to  the  world,  as  left 
by  judge  HENRY.  Had  he  lived  to  superin- 
tend, the  printing  of  it  himself,  many  altera- 
tions would,  no  doubt,  have  been  made,  ma- 
ny passages  which  may  at  present  appear  ob- 
scure, would  have  been  fully  explained,  and 
many  differencies  of  style  corrected.  As  the 
work  purports  to  be  written  by  judge  HEN- 
RY, it  was  thought  improper  to  make  any 
alterations  or  additions,  trusting  that  the 
world,  when  acquainted  with  the  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  published,  will 
be  disposed  to  pardon  trivial  errors,  as  to 
the  truth  of  the  principal  facts ;  the  following 
letter,  from  general  Michael  Simpson,  is  am- 
ple testimony  : 


SIK, 

I  have  read  your  work  "  of  the  expe- 
dition through  the  wilderness  in  1775."  So 
fur  as  I  was  concerned^  in  the  transactions 
related  in  the  work,  they  are  truly  stated. 
That  expedition,  perhaps,  the  most  arduous 
during  the  revolutionary  war,  is  truly  re- 
presented. The  public  may,  in  the  general, 
be  assured,  that  the  account  is  genuine. 

Your  humble  servant, 

MICHAEL  SIMPSON, 


ZJFE  OF  THE 


AUTHOR. 


BRITTEN   B¥   HIS    DAUGHTER. 


THERE  is  an  observation  tritef  true,  and 
universally  admitted,  that  the  lives  of  those  who 
have  not  embraced  a  wide  sphere  of  action, 
are  uninteresting  and  perfectly  devoid  of  any 
incitements  to  attention.  Biography  of  Warri- 
ors, statesmen,  is  perused  with  avidity — but 
it  is  not  merely  their  own  history,  but  that  of 
the  times,  in  which  they  lived,  at  least  par- 
tially so.  But  descending  to  the  greater 
walks  of  life,  when  we  trace  the  history  of  a 
good  and  unfortunate  man,  through  all  the 
varied  evolutions,  that  peculiarly  mark  his 
fete,  and  prevent  him  from  being  enrolled  in 
the  list  of  those  beings,  who  have  found  the 
path  divested  of  thorns— it  is  to  some,  still- 
interesting  ;  and  although  the  incidents  are  not 
of  a  nature  to  excite  wonder  or  a&tonishment — 


they  may  still  possess  the  power  to  call  forth 
the  sympathy  of  minds  of  feeling — minds  that 
have  been  taught  to  feel  another's  woe. 

JOHN  JOSEPH  HENRY,  the  author  of  the  fol- 
lowing pages,  was  born  November  4th,  1758, 
at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania — his  father  WIL- 
LIAM HENRY,  Esq;  a  man  whose  memo- 
ry is  still  revered  by  those  who  possessed 
any  knowledge  of  him,  his  strict  honesty  and 
known  probity,  renders  it  sacred  to  such  as 
claimed  Win  -as  their  friend.  He  was  pos- 
sessed of  a  mechanical  genius  in  a  strong  de- 
gree; he  k  was,  who '•  invented  the  well  known 
screw-auger. 

Warmly  addicted  to  this  his  favorite  pas- 
SIOB,  he  wished  to  imbibe  into  the  minds  of 
his  children,  a  taste  for  mechanics  ;  with  some 
of  them  hr  succeeded.  As  soon  as  his  son 
JOHN  JOSEPH,  had  attained  the  age  of  14, 
he  bound  him  an  apprentice  to  an  uncle,  who 
was  a  gunsmith,  then  a  resident  at  Lancaster, 
but  after  sometime  removed  to  Detroit,  tak- 
ing his  nephew  with  him.  At  that  place,  his 
stay  was  but  short,  on  account  of  scarcity  of 
business — he  returned  on  foot  with  a  single 
guide,  who  died  in  the  wilderness,  which  lay 
between  Detroit  and  his  home — it  was  here 
that  hardships  and  misfortune  first  were  felt, 
his  future  companions  during  a  length  of 
years,  devoted  to  God  and  his  country. 
Young  HENRY  returned  to  his  parents  and 


home,  dissatisfied  with  the  employment,  x 
judicious  father  had  pointed  out  for  him,  as 
the  means  by  which  he  wished  him  to  gain 
a  future  subsistence. — His  arduous  mind  pant- 
ed after  military  glory;  the  troubles  of  his 
country,  which  was  then  making  vigorous, 
and  ultimately  successful  struggles  for  a  total 
emancipation  from  slavery,  wrought  strong- 
ly upon  one,  the  acme  of  whose  hopes  and 
wishes  was,  to  be  one  of  those  who  contended 
most  for  freedom.  In  the  fall  of  1775,  he 
clandestinely,  joined  a  regiment  of  men  raised 
in  Lancaster  county,  for  the  purpose  of  join- 
ing Arnold,  who  at  that  time,  was  stationed 
at  Boston.  His  father  was  commissary  to  the 
troops,  which  office  obliged  him  to  attend 
them  to  Reading.  It  was  at  this  time,  under 
circumstances,  which  rendered  him  most  li- 
able to  detection  from  his  parent,  he  left  his 
home  to  wander  at  the  age  of  16,  in  a  strange 
land.  Thus  a  thirst  for  glory,  inflamed  his 
youthful  breast,  and  superseded  every  other 
passion  and  affection  of  his  heart.  After  en- 
during all  the  fatigues  of  a  veteran  soldier, 
they  entered  Canada  on  his  birth  day — an 
eventful  one  to  him.  He  endured  hardships 
here,  which  in  his  own  simple  style,  he  fully 
enumerates.  It  was  in  prison,  where  he  lay 
for  nine  months,  that  he  contracted  a  disease, 
(the  scurvy,)  which  at  that  time,  did  not 
make  its  appearance — but  six  weeks  after- 


6 

wards  on  his  return  home,  at  a  time  when 
least  expected,  it  made  its  appearance  under 
its  most  malignant  form — it  was  at  a  time, 
when  it  became  a  duty  incumbent  on  him, 
to  continue  in  the  army.  A  captaincy  had 
been  procured  for  him  in  the  Virginia  line, 
and  a  lieutenancy  in  that  of  Pennsylvania, 
he  had  designed  to  accept  of  the  command  un- 
der the  hero  Morgan,  which  was  that  of  cap- 
tain, but  the  disposer  of  all  events,  arrested 
his  carreer,  and  instead  of  his  fond  expecta- 
tions being  accomplished,  all  his  hopes  were 
blasted,  his  high  prospects  jaded,  and  be- 
came a  dreary  void,  by  the  order  of  that 
Omnipotence,  who  furnished  him  with  that 
fortitude,  which  enabled  him  through  all  his 
misery,  to  kiss  the  rod  that  chastised  him. 
It  was  after  two  years  continuance  oh  the 
couch  ot  sickness,  his  leg,  which  was  the  un- 
fortunate cause  of  all  his  illness,  began  to  heal, 
and  renovated  health,  to  give  hopes  of  peace 
yet  remained  for  him. 

As  his  lameness  precluded  air  possibility 
of  his  again  entering  the  army  ;  as  he  had,  by 
a  disregard  of  parental  authority,  at  least  so 
far  as  concerned  his  trade,  forfeited  his  claint 
to  his  father's  exertions,  to  place  him  in  such 
a  situation,  as  would  make  him  capable  of 
rendering  himself  useful  to  society.  A  vigor- 
ous effort  on  his  part  was  necessary  ;  resolu- 
tion was  not  wanting ;  it  was  made.  He 


-bound  himself  as  an  apprentice  to  John  Hub*. 
Icy,  Esq.  prothonotary  of  the  county  of  Lan- 
caster, as  a  clerk  in  the  office,  here  for  four 
years,  he  pursued  his  business  with  the  closest 
application,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  his 
office  with  unabated  care  and  strictness,  and 
when  the  labors  of  the  day  were  over,  his 
nights  were  consumed  in  study,  endeavoring 
to  compensate  himself  in  some  measure,  for 
the  neglect,  that  his  education  had  suffered  by 
his  becoming  a  soldier.  His  frame  still  some- 
what debilitated  by  his  illness,  was  not  capable 
of  sustaining  the  fatigues  of  office,  his  health 
suffered  much  from  labour  so  severe  and  ap« 
plication  so  intense.  The  time  of  his  inden- 
tures being  expired,  he  commenced  the  stu- 
dy of*  the  law,  under  Stephen  Chambers^ 
Esq.  Here  he  became  acquainted  with  his 
future  companion  in  life,  the  youngest  sister 
of  Mr.  Chambers.  He  practised  law  from 
the  year  1785,  until  December  1793.  As 
his  law  knowledge  was  known  to  be  exten- 
sive, his  abilities  and  talents  met  their  due 
reward,  with  an  appointment,  by  his  ex- 
cellency Thomas  Mifflin,  Governor,  to  the 
office  of  president,  of  the  second  judicial  dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania. 

A  number  of  years  had  now  elapsed,  his 
family  was  large  ;  by  an  unfortunate  removal 
to  a  country,  at  that  period  sickly,  he  was 
attacked  by  the  gout,  which  from  inexpert- 


10 

ence,  and  owing  to  his  having  no  knowledge 
as  to  the  consequences  that  would  necessari- 
ly ensue,  did  not  take  proper  precautions, 
so  as  to  render  it  a  regular  disease.  Under 
that  deceptions  name,  numerous  disorders 
invaded  his  frame,  and  at  times  with  so  much 
severity,  that  he  was  necessitated  to  continue 
at  home,  and  prevented  him  from  executing 
his  official  duties  as  a  judge.  It  was  during 
seven  long  years  of  bodily  suffering,  that  his 
mind  and  memory,  reverted  to  those  scenes 
(more  forcibly  than  ever)  which  formed  so 
eventful  a  period  in  a  life  of  misfortune  and 
vicissitude.  The  interesting  narrative  of  the 
sufferings  of  that  band  of  heroes,  of  which  he 
was  the  youngest,  is  a  simple  tale  of  truth, 
which  he  undeviatingly  throughout  his  book 
adheres  to. 

He  is  supported  in  all  his  assertions,  by 
the  testimony  of  a  number  of  his  compan- 
ions in  that  arduous  campaign,  men  of  cha- 
racter and  respectability — his  relation  of  inci- 
dents, his  descriptive  accounts  of  the  coun- 
try they  passed  through,  the  situation  of  Que- 
bec and  the  disposition  of  the  army,  all  mark 
him  to  have  been  a  youth  of  accurate  ob- 
servation, of  a  comprehensive  and  intelligent 
mind.  Possessing,  as  he  must  necessarily 
have  done,  activity  of  spirit  and  contempt  of  fa- 
tigur,  he  gained  the  approbation  and  esteem 
of  his  seniors.  The  buoyant  spirits  of  youtlx 


11 

rose  high  over  misfortune ;  under  the  pres- 
sure of  the  severest  distress,  vivacity  was 
still  retained,  and  burst  forth  at  intervals  to 
cheer  his  hopeless  companions. 

Disease  had  now  made  rapid  progress  on  a 
constitution  weakened  by  repeated  attacks, 
and  accumulation  of  disorders,  which  no  skill 
could  counteract  or  remedy.  The  nonper- 
formance  of  his  duties  caused  petitions,  from 
the  several  counties,,  to  be  presented  to  the 
legislature,  for  his  removal ;  nothing  was  al- 
leged against  him  but  absence.  That  honor- 
able house,  having  examined  and  considered 
the  charges,  acquitted  him  with  honor.  His 
commission  he  retained  for  the  space  of  two 
years  afterwards — but  illness  and  debility  in- 
creasing, and  a  knowledge  of  his  infirmities 
being  incurable,  compelled  him  to  resign  that 
office,  which  he  had  held  with  integrity,  for 
seventeen  years.  Four  months  succeeding, 
his  wornout  frame  was  destined  to  feel  the 
stroke  of  death,  and  his  freed  soul,  to  seek 
refuge  in  the  bosom  of  his  Father  and  his 
God. 


CAMPAIGN  AGAINST  QUEBEC,  &e. 


DEAU 

THERE  is  a  point,  in  the  history  of  the 
American  revolution,  hitherto  little  attended  to; 
as  yet  imperfectly  related,  and  now  at  this  late 
day  almost  forgotten  ;  which  would  deserve  and 
require  the  talents  and  genius  of  a  Xenophon, 
to  do  it  real  justice.  As  your  father  in  early 
life  had  a  concern  in  that  adventure,  permit  him 
to  relate  to  you  in  the  words  of  truth,  a  com- 
pendious detail  of  the  sufferings  of  a  small  hand 
of  heroes  ;  unused,  to  be  sure,  to  military  tac- 
tics and  due  subordination,  hut  whose  souls  were 
fired  by  an  enthusiastic  love  of  country,  and  a 
spirit  such  as  has  often  inspiried  our  ancestors, 
when  determined  to  be  free.  In  giving  you  this 
relation,  knowing  him  as  you  do,  you  will  scarce- 
ly call  in  question  his  veracity  ;  particularly 
when  he  assures  you  upon  the  honor  of  a  gen- 
tleman and  an  honest  man,  that  every  word  here 
related,  to  the  best  of  his  recollection  and  be- 
lief, is  literally  true.  He  could  not  be  so  un- 
just to  your  morals,  your  veracity,  or  integrity, 
as  to  state  any  thing  to  you  which  lie  knew,  or 
even  suspected  to  be  untrue.  He  has-  himself 
been  too  much  the  victim  of  base  liars,  not  to  en- 
deavour to  eradicate  so  vile  a  principle  from  your 
minds.  His  own  education,  though  made  by  his 
truantisuis,  (in  avoidance  of  the  bounteous  and 
B 


14 

liberal  designs  of  his  good  father,)  an  incor- 
rect one,  yet  the  piety  and  real  religious  fer- 
vour of  1m  parents,  never  would  tolerate  a  lie* 
This  mental  vice,  to  them,  was  the  greatest  of 
all  abominations,  as  it  is  with  your  father:  it 
is  also  his  most  fervent  liopc  and  prayer,  that 
every  one  of  you,  will  not  only  contemn  the  lie, 
but  hold  in  sovereign  detestation  the  liar. 

Persons  at  your  age,  and  at  this  advanced  stage 
of  the  improvement  and  melioration  of  our  soil, 
in  a  climate  so  far  south  as  ours,  can  scarcely 
form  a  correct  conception,  hut  from  actual  ob- 
servation, of  the  sterility,  the  dreariness  and 
the  destitution  of  every  comfort  of  life,  which  a 
wilderness  in  a  high  northern  latitude  exhibits. 
A  confidence  however  in  your  good  sense,  en- 
45911  rages,  and  in  fact  animates,  him,  to  put  that 
upon  paper,  which  has  a  thousand  times,  in  de- 
tached parcels,  been  the-  subject  of  amusing 
prattle  around  the  fireside.  This  is  done  the  ra- 
ther at  this  tiine,  as  some  very  atrocious  scoun- 
drels who  never  looked  an  enemy  in  the  eye,  now 
assume  the  garlands  and  honors,  which  ought 
to  adorn  the  brows  of  more  worthy  men, 

In  the  autumn  of  1775,  our  adorable  WAS  MING- 
TON,  thought  it  prudent  to  make  a  descent  up- 
on Canada.  A  detachment  from  the  American 
grand  army,  then  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  (Mas- 
sachusetts,) was  organized,  to.  fulfil  this  inten- 
tion, by  the  route  of  the  Kemiebec  and  Cliau- 
cliere  rivers*  It  wiis  intended  as  a  co-operation 
with  the  army  of  General  Montgomery,  who  had 
entered  the  same  province,  by  toe  way  of  Chaui- 
plainc  and  Montreal.  Colonel  Benedict  Arnold 
\yas  appointed  the  commander  in  chief  of  the, 
whole  division.  The  detachment  consisted  of 
eleven  hundred  men*  Enqs.  was  second  in  com- 


15 

niantj.  Of  this  I  knew  nothing,  but  from  re- 
port. Riflemen  composed  a  part  of  die  arma- 
ment. These  companies,  from  sixty-five  to  se~ 
verity- five  strong,  were  from  the  southward  : 
that  is,  captain  Daniel  Morgan's  company  from 
Virginia;  that  of  captain  William  Hendricks* 
from  Cumberland  county  in  Pennsylvania,  unit 
captain  Matthew  Smith's  company  from  the 
Bounty  of  Lancaster,  in  the  latter  province.  The 
residue*  and  hulk  of  this  corps,  consisted  of  troops 
from  Massachusetts,  Rhode-Island  and  Connec- 
ticut.- It  has  iiown  from  iny  memory,  whether 
we  had  any  from  New-Hampshire  ;  but  thero 
is  an  impression  on  my  mind  that,  we  had,  as 
general  Dearborne,  who  was  of  the  latter  pro- 
vince, commanded  u  company  in  the  expedition. 
All  these  men  were  of  as  rude  and  hardy  a  race 
as  ourselves,  and  as  unused  to  the  discipline  of  a 
eamp.  and  as  fearless  as  we  were*  It  fell  to  ir;e, 
to  know  many  of  them  afterwards  intimately  ; 
speaking  generally,  without  any  al!us>.n  to  par- 
ticular?, they  were  an  excellent  body  of  men, 
fora/cd  by  nature  as  the  stamina  of  an  army,  fit- 
ted for -a  tough  and  fight  defence  of  the  liberties 
<*f  their  -country.  The  principal  distinction  be- 
tween us,  was  in  our  dialects,  our  arms,  and 
our  dress,  Each  man  of  the  three  companies, 
bore  a  rifle -barreled  gun,  a  tomehawk,  or  smali 
axe,  and  a  long  knife,  usually  called  a  "scalp- 
ing-knife,"  which  served  for  all  purposes,  in 
the  woods.  His  under-dress,  by  no  means  in 
a  military  style,  was  covered  by  a  deep  ash- 
colored  hunting-shirt,  leg-gins  and  mockasins* 
if  the  latter  could -be  procured.  It  was  the  sil 
ly  fashion  of  those  times,  for  riflemen  to  ape 
the  manners  of  savages. 


16 

Our  commander  Arnold,  was  of  a  remarkable 
character.  He  was  brave,  even  to  temerity,  was 
beloved  by  the  soldiery,  perhaps  for  that  quali- 
ty only : — he  possessed  great  powers  of  persua- 
sion, was  complaisant :  but  withal  sordidly  ava- 
ricious. Arnold  was  a  short  handsome  man,  of 
a  florid  complexion,  stoutly  made,  and  forty 
years  old  at  least. 

On  the  other  hand  Morgan  was  a  large  strong 
bodied  personage,  whose  appearance  gave  the 
idea  history  has  left  us  of  Belisarius.  His 
manners  were  of  the  severer  east ;  but  where 
he  became  attached  he  was  kind  and  truly  affec- 
tionate. This  is  said,  from  experience  of  the 
most  sensitive  and  pleasing  nature;  activity,  spi- 
rit and  courage  in  a  soldier,  procured  his  good 
will  and  esteem. 

Hendricks  was  tall,  of  a  mild  and  beautiful 
countenance.  His  soul  was  animated  by  a  gen- 
uine spark  of  heroism.  Smith  was  a  good  look- 
ing man,. had  the  air  of  a  soldier,  was  illiterate 
and  outrageously  talkative.  The  officers  of  the 
eastern  troops,  were  many  of  them  men  of  sterl- 
ing worth.  Colonel  Christopher  Green  seemed 
too  far  advanced  in  life  for  such  hard  service, 
yet  he  was  inspired  by  an  ardour  becoming  a 
youth.  He  afterwards  did  the  public  good 
service  at  Jledbank  on  the  Delaware,  in  the 
autumn  of  1777.  Majors  Meigs,  Febiger  and 
Bigelow,  were  excellent  characters.  As  we  act- 
ed in  the  advance,  the  latter  gentlemen  were  not 
well  known  to  us,  until  sometime  afterward^. 
Your  father  was  too  young  to  enjoy  any  other 
honor,  than  that  of  exposing  himself  in  the  cha- 
racter of  a  cadet,  to  every  danger.  This  little 
Army  in  high  spirits,  marched  from  Prospect- 
hill  near  Cambridge  in  Massachusetts,  on  the 


17 

llih.of  September,  1775,  and  arrived  at  New- 
buryport  (which  is  formed  by  the  waters  of  the 
Merrimac  river)  on  the  following  day.  This 
place,  at  that  time,  was  a  small  but  commercial 
town,  near  the  border  of  Massachusetts.  Here 
we  remained  encamped  five  days,  providing  our- 
selves  with  such  articles  of  real  necessity,  as  our 
small  means  afforded.  On  the  afternoon  of  the 
sixth  day,  we  embarked  aboard  often  transports; 
sailed  in  the  evening,  and  at  dawn  of  day  des- 
cried the  mouth  of  the  Kennebee  river.  The 
wind  was  strong  but  fair.  The  distance  of  this 
run  was  150  miles.  We  ascended  the  river  to 
colonel  Cobourn's  shipyard ;  here  we  left  our 
vessels,  and  obtained  batteaux,  with  which  we 
proceeded  to  Fort-western.  At  this  place,  on 
the  day  of  our  arrival,  an  arrangement  Avas 
made  by  the  commander  in  chief,  which  in  all- 
probability  sealed  the  destiny  of  your  parent. 
It  was  concluded,  to  despatch  an  officer  and  seven 
men  in  advance,  for  the  purposes  of  ascertaining 
and  marking  the  paths,  which  were  used  by  the 
Indians  at  the  numerous  carrying-places  in  the 
wilderness,  towards  the  heads  of  the  river;  and 
also,  to  ascertain  the  course  of  the  river  Chau- 
diere,  which  runs  from  the  heighth  of  land,  to- 
wards Quebec* 

To  give  some  degree  of  certainty  of  success 
to  so  hazardous  an  enterprise,  Arnold  found  it 
necessary  to  select  an  officer  of  activity  and  cou- 
rage ;  the  choice  fell  upon  Archibald  Steele  of 
Smith's  company,  a  man  of  an  active,  courage- 
ous, sprightly  and  hardy  disposition,  who  was 
complimented  with  the  privilege  of  naming  his 
companions.  These  consisted  of  Jesse  Wheeler, 
George  Merchant,  and  James  Clifton,  of  Mor- 
gan's; and  Robert  Cunningham,.  Thomas 
B  2. 


18 

John  Tidd,  and  John  M'Konkey,  of  Smith's  <3<nn- 
pany.  Though  a  very  youth,  yet  in  a  srnikll  de- 
gree accustomed  to  hardships,  derived  from  long 
inarches  in  the  American  woods,  Steele's  course 
of  selection  next  fell  upon  your  father,  who  was 
his  messmate  and  friend.  Two  birch-bark  ca- 
noes were  provided ;  and  two  guides,  celebrated 
for  the  management  of  such  water  craft,  and 
who  knew  the  river  as  high  up  as  the  Great- 
carrying-place  were  also  found.  These  were 
Jeremiah  Getchel,  a  very  respectable  man,  and 
John  Home,  an  Irishman  who  had  grown  grey 
in  this  cold  climate. 

This  small  party,  unconscious  of  danger,  and 
animated  by  a  hope  of  applause  from  their  coun- 
try, set  forward  from  Fort-western  in  their  light 
barks,  at  the  rate  of,  from  fifteen  to  twenty,  and 
in  good  water,  twenty-five  miles  per  day.  These 
eanoes  are  so  light,  that  a  person  of  common 
strength,  may  carry  one  of  the  smaller  kind, 
such  as  ours  were,  many  hundred  yards  without 
halting.*  Yet  they  will  bear  a  great  burthen, 
and  swim  nearly  gunwale  deep  \  an  admirable 
description  of  them  is  given  by  Hearne,  in  his 
Journey  to  the  Coppermine-river.  Steele's  ca- 
noe, bore  five  men  with  their  arms  and  baggage, 
which  last  was  indeed  light  in  quantity  and  qua- 
lity, one  barrel  of  pork,  one  bag  of  meal,  and 
200  weight  of  biscuit.  The  other  canoe  carried 
seven  men,  their  arms  and  baggage,  and  a  due 
proportion  of  provisions. 

On  the  evening  of  the  23d  of  September,  our 
party  arrived  at  Fort-Halifax,  situated  on  the 
point,  formed  by  a  junction  of  the  Sabasticoog 
and  Kennebec  rivers.  Here  our  commander 

*  See  Note  I.  at  the  end. 


19 

Steele,  was  accosted  by  a  captain  Harrison,  or 
Huddlestone,  inviting  him  and  the  company  to 
his  house.     The  invitation  was  gladly  accepted, 
as  the  accommodation  at  the  Fort,  which  con- 
sisted of  old  Block-houses  and  a  stocade  in  a  ruin- 
ous state,  did  not  admit  of  much  comfort ;  besides 
it  was  inhabited,  as  our  friend  the  captain  said, 
by  a  rank  tory.     Here  for  the  iirst  time  the  ap- 
plication of  the  American  term  "  tory."  was  de- 
fined to  me  by  the  captain.     Its  European  defi- 
nition was  well  known  before.     Another  inter- 
esting conversation,  upon  the  part  of  the  captain, 
struck  my  mind  as  a  great  curiosity  in  natural 
history,  and  well  deserving  commemoration;  he 
observed  that  he   had  emigrated  to  the  place' 
he  then  resided   at,  about  thirty  years  before, 
most  probably  with  his  parents,  for  he  did  not 
then  appear  to  be  much  beyond  forty.     That  at 
that  period  the  common-deer  which  now  inha- 
bits our  more  southern  climate,  was  the  only  an- 
imal, of  the  deer  kind,   which  they  knew,  un- 
less it  was  the  elks ;    and  them  but  partially. 
In  a  short  space  of  time  the  moose-deer  appeared 
in  small  numbers,  but  increased  annually  after- 
wards, and  as  the  one  species  became  more  nu- 
merous, the  other  diminished  :  so  that  the  kind 
of  deer  first  spoken  of,  at  the  time  of  this  infor- 
mation,   according  to  the  captain,    was  totally 
driven  from  that  quarter.   The  moose-deer  reign- 
ed the  master  of  the  forest.     This  anecdote,  if 
true,  might  in  such  minds  as  those  of  Buffon,  or 
De  Paw,  give  occasions  to  systems  in  natural-his- 
tory, totally  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  nature; 
still  there  may  be  something  in  it ;   animals  like 
human  beings,    whether  forced  by  necessity  or 
from  choice,  do  emigrate.  Many  instances  might 
be  given  of  this  circumstance  of  the  animal  eeo- 


20 

nomy.  in  various  parts  of  the  world.  The  above 
relation  is  the  only  instance  which  has  come  to 
my  knowledge,  where  one  species  has  expelled 
another  of  the  same  genus.  If  the  fact  be  true, 
it  is  either  effected  by  a  species  of  warfare,  or 
some  peculiarity  in  the  appearance  of  the  one 
kind,  and  of  horror  or  perhaps  of  disgust  in  the 
other,  we  know  the  rock-goat  (sleinbock  of  the 
Germans  and  loquctin  of  the  French)  formerly 
inhabited  the  low  hills  of  southern  France  and 
of  the  Pyrenees ;  they  have  been  driven  thence 
by  some  peculiar  cause,  for  they  are  now  con- 
fined to  the  tops  of  the  highest  mountains  in 
Europe.  It  is  true,  it  has  been  frequently  ad- 
vanced by  men  of  respectability  and  information 
in  Pennsylvania,  that  the  grey- fox  which  is  indi- 
genous in  the  United  States,  and  all  North  Ame- 
rica, has  been  driven  from  the  Atlantic  sea-coast 
into  the  interior,  by  the  introduction  of  the  red- 
fox  from  Europe.  But  we  have  no  sufficient 
data  to  warrant  this  assertion.  The  truth  pro- 
bably is,  that  as  the  grey-fox  is  a  dull  and  slow 
animal,  compared  with  the  sprightliness,  rapidi- 
ty, and  cunning  of  the  red-fox,  that  the  first  has 
been  thinned  by  the  huntsmen,  and  gradually  re- 
ceded from  the  seacoast  to  the  forest,  where, 
from  his  habits,  he  is  more  secure.  The  cun- 
ning and  prowess  of  the  latter,  has  enabled  him 
to  maintain  his  station  among  the  farms,  in  de- 
spite of  the  swiftness  and  powerful  scent  of  the 
dogs.  But  that  which  puts  this  assertion  out  of 
view,  is  that  the  red-fox  is  indigenous  through- 
out North  America.  He  and  the  grey-fox  are 
found  in  the  highest  latitudes,  but  there,  their 
skins  are  changed  into  more  beautiful  furs  than 
those  of  ours,  by  the  effects  of  climate.  An- 
other notion  has  been  started  within  these  20 


21 

. 

vears  past,    of  the  fox  squirrel,   expelling  the 
large  grey  squirrel :  but  it  is  fallacious. 

Be  these  tilings  as  they  may,  we  spent  an 
agreeable  and  most  sociable  evening  with  this 
"respectable  man,  and  his  amiable  family.  On 
the  following  day,  our  party  rose  early,  and  ac- 
companied by  our  host,  waited  upon  the  tori/, 
who  then  shewed  himself  to  be  an  honest  man, 
of  independent  principles,  and  who  claimed  the 
light  of  thinking  for  himself.  He  exchanged  a 
barrel  of  smoke-dried  salmon  for  a  barrel  of 
pork,  upon  honest  terms.  We  set  out  from  this 
place,  well  pleased  with  our  host,  the  old  tory, 
and  our  bargain.  In  a  very  few  days,  without 
other  accident  than  the  spraining  of  Lieutenant 
Steele's  ancle,  by  his  slipping,  when  carrying  a 
canoe  over  the  patli5  at  one  of  the  intermediate 
portages,  we  arrived  safely  at  Norrigewoe  falls. 
Coming  to  the  landing  place,  the  water  being 
smooth  and  very  deep,  a  rock,  as  we  passed  it, 
drew  my  attention  very  particularly,  it  was 
standing  in  a  conical  form,  five  feet  in  perpen- 
dicular height,  and  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  di- 
ameter at  the  base.  I  observed  that  next  the 
water,  the  face  of  the  rock,  which  was  a  blu- 
ish flint,  was,  as  it  were,  scalloped  out,  down 
to  the  very  water's  edge.  Asking  Getchel  how 
this  had  occurred,  his  reply  was  that  the  Indi- 
ans, in  former  times,  had  from  thence  obtained 
their  spear  and  arrow  points.  It  seems  unrea- 
sonable that  without  a  knowledge  of  iron,  they 
should  have  been  capable  of  executing  such  a 
labour.  However,  upon  observation  and  reflec- 
tion, since  GetehePs  time,  an  inducement  from 
experience  and  reasoning  occurs,  which  influ- 
ences me  to  believe,  that  he  might  have  been 
correct  in  his  observation.  The  rock,  no  doubt, 


still  remains,  and  there  is  leisure  for  inquiry 
and  discussion.  We  were  hurried.  The  village 
within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  pitcli  of  the 
fall,  was  evidently  a  deserted  Indian  town.  We 
saw  no  one  there  ;  It  was  without  the  vestige 
of  inhabitants.  Dressing  our  victuals  here  at 
mid-day,  an  occurrence  happened,  which  dis- 
gusted me  in  an  extreme  degree.  On  this  day, 
an  estimate  of  our  food  \vas  made*  and  an  allot- 
ment In  quantity  to  each  man,  though  no  actu- 
al separation  of  shares  took  place,  as  that,  it 
was  agreed,  should  happen  at  the  twelve-mile 
carrying  place.  By  the  estimate  now  made,  it 
seemed  that  ibere  was  something  of  a  surplus. 
As  we  had  had  hard  work,  that  and  some  pre- 
ceding days,  and  harder  fare,  our  good  com- 
mander was  inclined  to  indulge  us.  The  sur- 
plus was  allotted  for  this  day's  fare.  It  hap- 
pened that  M'Konkey  was,  by  routine,  the 
cook.  He  boiled  the  meat,  (vegetable  food  of 
any  kind  \vas  not  attainable,)  and  when  saunter- 
ing towards  the  fall,  he  called  us  to  dinner.  We 
came  eagerly.  He  was  seated  -on  the  earth,  ht»&£ 
the  wooden  bowl.  The  company  reclined  around 
in  a  like  posture,  intending  to  partake  ;  when 
M'Konkey  raising  his  vile  and  dirty  hands, 
struck  the  meat,  exclaiming,  «  By  G—  1  thi?. 
was  our  last  comfortable  meal."  The  indelica- 
cy of  the  aet,  i*s  impiety,  a -id  the  grossness  el 
the  expression,  deprived  the  company  of  appe- 
tite. On  several  subsequent  occasions  M>Kon- 
key  showed  himself  as  mean  ia  spirit,  as  he  was 
devoid  of  decency.  We  soon  rid  ourselves  of 
him.  Many  years  afterwards,  at  Lancaster,  in 
Pennsylvania,  he  appHed  and  received  a  loan  by 
way  of  charity  from  me,  which  he  meanly  soli- 
cited with  the  most  abject  sycophancy.  So  tr«c 


33 

it  is,  in  general,  tli.at  those  who  disregard  the 
social  decencies  of  life,  are  equally  incapable  of 
those  virtues  which  make  man  respectable  in 
society. 

On  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  we  crossed  to. 
the  west  side  of  the  river  below  the  fall  :  search- 
ed for,  and  with  difficulty  found  the  carrying 
place.  Having  marked  it  with  precision,  we 
rested  awhile.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
not  very  distant  from  us,  there  was  a  considera- 
ble extent  of  natural  meadow.*  One  of  our  par- 
ty, exploring  the  country  for  deer,  met  with  two 
wiiitenien  who  had  come  from  a  distance,  mow- 
ing the  wild  grass  of  the  meadow.  An  agree- 
ble  barter  ensued — we  gave  salted  pork,  and 
they  returned  two  fresh  beaver  tails,  which, 
when  bailed,  renewed  ideas,  imbibed  with  the 
May  butter  of  our  own  country.  Taste,  howe- 
ver, is  arbitrary,  and  often  the  child  of  neces- 
sity. Two  years  before  this,  acorns  had  sup- 
plied me  with  a  precarious  sustenance,  on  a 
journey  from  Sandusky  to  Pittsburg,  it  momen- 
tarily sustained  life  and  bodily  labour,  but  the 
consequence  was  ill  health.  Your  respectable 
kinsman,  General  Gibson,  received  me  into  his 
house  at  Logstown  on  the  Ohio,  and  restored  hie 
sound  to  my  parents.  These  minute  matters 
are  noted  here,  from  an  expectation,  that  know- 
ing the  privations  men  may  suffer  in  respect  to 
food,  you  will  each  of  you  remember  to  receive 
the  dispensations  of  Providence,  of  every  kind, 
if  not  with  thankfulness,  at  least  with  submis- 
sion. 

We  passed  the  portage  of  Norridgewoc  falls. 
Thence  for  several  days,  the  navigation  for  such 
canoes  as  ours,  Avas  tolerable,  and  in  the  most' 
part  convenient.  We  aseended  the  river  rapid*-. 

*  See  Note  II. 


24 

ly,  blazing  every  carrying-place.  Having  now 
seceded  many  miles  from  the  last  white  inha- 
bitants at  Norridgewoc,  it  became  us  therefore 
to  proceed  cautiously.  A  circumspection  was 
adopted,  which  though  prudent  in  the  predica- 
ment we  were  in,  appeared  to  be  rather  harsh 
to  the  feelings  ;  the  firing  of  a  gun  was  inhi- 
bited ;  though  the  weather  was  chilling,  we  dar- 
ed scarcely  make  a  smoke  at  night.  Angling 
for  trout  and  chub  in  the  morning  and  evening, 
made  up  our  stock  of  fresh  food.  We  frequent- 
ly saw  ducks,  &c.  and  many  moose-deer,  yet 
we  discharged  not  a  gun;  in  truth  \ve  had  been 
made  to  believe,  that  this  country  had  numerous 
Indians  in  it. 

The  party  proceeded  without  molestation,  but 
from  natural  rock,  and  a  strict  current  (by  the 
27th  of  September,)  to  the  twelve-mile  carry- 
ing-place. Here  a  new  scene  opened.  Our  guides 
professed  that  neither  of  them  bad  ever  been 
north  of  this  place  across  the  carrying- place, 
but  Getchel  alleged  he  had  hunted  to  the  east 
of  the  river. 

Now  we  assumed  the  title  of  being  our  own 
guides,  giving  to  Getchel  due  respect  and  atten- 
tion for  his  information  relative  to  the  route 
north.  He  informed  me  that  the  course  of  the 
river  which  is  injudiciously  called  the  "Dead 
river5'  tended  60  or  100  miles  northerly,  took 
a  short  turn  southwardly,  and  was  then  within 
12  miles  of  us.  That  that  part  was  full  of  ra- 
pids, and  impassable  to  boats,  or  even  canoes. 
We  searched  for  the  carrying-place,  and  found 
a  path  tolerably  distinct,  which  wo  made  more 
so  by  blazing  the  trees  and  snagging  the  bunhcs 
with  our  tomahawks;  proceeding  until  evening, 
the  party  encamped  at  the  margin  of  a  small 


25 

lake,  perhaps  about  half  a  mile  wide,  where 
there  was  plenty  of  trout,  which  old  Clifton, 
who  was  good  at  angling,  caught  in  abundance. 
Here,  in  a  conference  on  the  subject,  it  was  re- 
solved that  two  persons  of  the  party  should  re- 
main, (with  about  one  half  of  the  provisions,) 
until  the  return  of  our  main  body,  calculating 
the  return  Avould  be  in  eight  or  ten  days.  It 
had  been  observed  that  Clifton,  being  the  oldest 
©f  the  company,  yet  brave  and  a  good  shot,  from 
the  fatigues  we  had  endured,  had  begun  to  flag. 
"With  the  assent  of  our  chief,  the  younger  part 
of  us  proposed  to  him  to  remain  where  we  then 
wrere,  with  the  better  part  of  the  provisions. 
After  considerable  altercation  he  assented,  on 
condition  of  his  having  a  companion.  The  young- 
est of  the  party,  nominated  M*Konkey,  who 
could  not  restrain  his  joy  at  the  proposal.  It 
was  advised  for  them  to  retire  to  the  south  end  of 
the  pond,  perhaps  a  mile,  and  there,  as  in  a  per- 
fect recess,  remain  concealed;  knowing  M^Kon- 
key,  the  consequences  were  foreseen.  After  the 
accomplishment  of  this  affair,  lieutenant  Steele 
parted  the  provision  appropriated  for  the  march- 
ers, not  by  pounds  or  ounces,  my  dear  children, 
but  by  "  whose  shall  be  this."  Some  of  you  have 
been  taught  how  this  is  done,  if,  yo\i  should 
have  forgotten,  it  will  be  well  now  to  teJl  you 
of  it.  The  principal  of  the  party,  if  he  is  a 
gentleman  and  man  of  honor,  divides  the  whole 
portion  equally  into  as  many  parts  as  there  are 
men  including  himself;  this  is  done  under  the 
eyes  of  all  concerned,  and  with  their  approbation, 
the  officer  then  directs  some  one  of  the  compa- 
ny to  turn  his  back  upon  him,  and  laying  his 
hand  on  a  particular  portion,  asks  "  whose  shall 
be  this  ?"  The  answer  is  hap-hazard,  A.  S.  &e« 
C 


26 

oj?  a,ny  either  of  the  party.  It  has  frequently 
occurred,  that  we  were  compelled  to  divide  the 
necessaries  of  life  in  this  way,  and  it  could  not 
be  fairly  said,  that  any  fraud  or  circumvention, 
took  place. 

September  2S,th,  we  left  Clifton  and  his  com- 
panion in  a  most  dreary  wild,  hut  with  enough, 
to  support  them  ;  and  if  they  would  aet  honor- 
ably*  to  assist  us.  A  laughable  occurrence  en- 
sued, ^ergeant  Boyd  and  myself  had,  that  day, 
the  charge  of  unloading  and  loading  the  canoes, 
which,  as  customarily,  being  very  light  and  easi- 
ly blown  off  shore  by  a  puff"  of  wind,  were  drawn 
'half  their  lengths  on  the  beach  ;  we  ran  a  race 
who  should  perform  his  duty  soonest — he  arrived 
first.  Taking  up  his  canoe  suddenly,  but  hop- 
ing to  have  a  better  stand,  than  the  shore  pre- 
sented? he  set  his  foot  on  a  large  bed  of  moss 
seemingly  firm,  and  sunk  ten  feet  into  as  cold 
water,  while  fluid,  as  was  ever  touched*  We 
soon  passed  the  pond,  found  the  path,  marked, 
it,  and  came,  at  the  end  of  several  miles,  to  a 
second  pond,  if  my.  recollection  serves,  larger 
than  the  former:  traversing  this,  we  encamped 
more  cautiously  than  ever.  On  the  next  day? 
pursuing  the  paih,  and  marking  it,  a  third  pond 
of-  small  diameter-  was  presented  to  our  view. 
Passing  this,  by  the  evening  we  encamped  on 
the  north-bank  of  the  Dead  -river-. 

This  river,  which  is-  nothing  more  than  an  ex- 
tension of  the  Kennebec,  is  called  by  this  re- 
markable name,  -because- a.  current,  a  lew  miles 
below  the  place  we  were  now  at,  and  for  many 
miles  above  it,,  is  imperceptible.  It  is  deep  and 
perhaps  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  Avide.  The 
gro*>r;d  \ve  footed  within  the  last  three  days*  is  a 
very  rugged  isthmus?  which  forms  the  great 


27 

bend  of  the  Kennebee.  Coming  from  the  high 
ground  towards  the  Dead-river,  we  passed  a  bog 
which  appeared,  before  we  entered  it,  as  a  beau- 
tiful plat  of  firm  ground,  level  as  a  bowling  green, 
and  covered  by  an  elegant  green  moss.  That* 
day,  to  save  my  shoes  for  severer  service,  mock- 
asins  had  been  put  in  their  place.  Every  step 
we  made,  sunk  us  knee-deep  in  a  bed  of  wet  turf. 
My  feet  were  pained  and  lacerated  by  the  snags 
of  the  dead  pines,  a  foot  and  more  below  the 
surface  of  the  moss ;  these  and  many  other  oc- 
currences, which  happened  afterwards,  convinc- 
ed me  more  than  reading  could,  of  the  manner 
of  the  formation  of  turf.  Sometimes,  to  lighten 
the  canoes  when  ascending  strict  water,  several 
of  us  would  disembark,  and  proceed  along  shore, 
and  on  many  occasions,  traverse  a  point 'of  land 
to  save  distance.  Doing  this,  we  often  met  with 
what  we  thought  a  flat  ground  covered  by  moss. 
Entering  the  parterre,  as  it  might  be  called, 
and  running  along  that  which  we  found  to  be  a 
log  covered  with  moss,  the  moisture  ori  the  log, 
would  cause  a  foot  to  slip — down  we  would  come, 
waist  deep  in  a  bed  of  wet  moss;  such  incidents 
always  created  a  laugh.  A  spark,  if  these  beds 
of  moss  had  been  dry,  as  they  were  wet,  would 
have  made  a  dreadful  conflagration:  the  upper 
country  seemed  throughout  as  if  covered  with 
it.  To  the  south  and  west  of  the  bog  first  men- 
tioned, there  was  a  natural  meadow  of  great 
extent.  On  the  west  it  reached,  seemingly,  to 
the  foot  of  the  mountains  several  miles  oif.  A 
beautiful  creek  serpentined  through  it  ami  form- 
ed a  convenient  harbor  and  landing  place,  oppo- 
site to  our  camp,  and  directly  to  which  the  In- 
dian, path  led  us. 


28 

The  timber  trees  of  this,  arc  in  a  great  mea- 
sure different  from  those  of  our  country.  Here 
are  neither  oaks,  hickories,  poplars,  maples  or 
locusts;  hut  there  is  a  great  variety  of  other 
kinds  of  excellent  timber,  such  as  the  white  and 
yellow  pines,  hemlock,  cedar,  cypress,  and  all  the 
species  of  the  firs.  These  trees,  in  the  low  grounds, 
grow  to  a  very  large  size,  on  the  hills,  as  we  ap- 
proach northwardly,  they  seem  to  dwindle,  par- 
ticularly as  we  come  to  the  "  heighth  of  land  ;" 
but  again  rise  to  a  superb  height,  as  we  descend 
into  the  intervale,  on  the  streams  running  into 
Canada.  Among  the  trees  of  this  country,  there 
are  two  which  deserve  particular  notice,  because 
of  their  remarkable  qualities.  These  are  the 
balsam  fio,  (Canada  balsam.  Balm  of  Gilead 
fir,  or  lalsamum  Canadcnsc  pinus  balsomca: 
which  produces  the  purest  turpentine,)  and  the 
yellow  birch.  The  first,  as  its  vulgar  name  im- 
ports, yields  a  balsamic  liquid,  which  has  been, 
and  perhaps  now  is,  much  esteemed  by  the  me- 
dical profession.  The  bark  is  smooth,  except 
that  there  are  a  vast  number  of  white  and  lucid 
protuberance  upon  it,  of  the  size  of  a  finger 
or  thumb-nail,  bulging  from  the  surface  of  the 
bark.  This  tree  grows  to  the  size  of  from  15  to 
520  inches  in  diameter.  From  the  essays  made,  it 
see  rued  to  me  that  a  vial  containing  a  gill,  might 
be  flJled'in  the  space  of  an  hour.  Getchel,  our 
guide,  taiight  me  its  use.  In  the  morning  when 
\ve  rose,  placing  the  edge  of  a  broad  knife  at  the 
under  side  of  the  blister,  and  my  lips  at  the  op- 
posite part,  on  the  back  of  the  knife,  which  was 
declined,  the  liquor  flowed  into  my  mouth  free- 
ly. It  was  heating  and  cordial  to  the  stomach, 
Attended  by  an  agreeable  pungency.  This  prac- 
tice, which  we  adopted,  in  all  likelihood,  con; 


29 

tributed  to  the  preservation  of  health.  Fot» 
though  much  wet  weather  ensued,  and  we  lay  of- 
ten on  low  and  damp  ground,  and  had  very  ma- 
iiy  successions  of  cold  atmosphere  ;  it  does  not 
now  occur  to  me,  that  any  one  of  us  was  assail- 
ed hy  sickness,  during  this  arduous  excursion. 
The  yellow  hireh  is  useful  in  many  particular 
instances  to  the  natives.  They  form  the  body 
of  the  tree  into  setting-poles,  paddles,  spoons  and 
ladles.  The  bark,  its  better  property,  serves 
as  a  covering  for  the  frame  of  the  canoe,  much 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  Esquimaux  and  Green- 
landers  apply  the  seal  skin.  To  you  it  may 
appear  to  be  a  strange  assertion,  but  to  me  it 
seems  true,  that  the  birch-bark  canoe  is  the  most 
ingenius  piece  of  mechanism,  man  in  a  rude 
state  is  capable  of  performing.  This  bold  idea 
requires  a  disclosure  of  the  means  and  the  man- 
ner of  the  work,  which  shall  be  done  before  I 
leave  the  .  subject.*^  From  the  bark  of  yel- 
low-birch, the  Indian  also  forms  bowls,  and  bas- 
kets of  a  most  beautiful  construction,  and  it  even 
serves  as  a  wrapper  for  any  nice  matter  which 
it  is  wished  to  keep  securely,  much  in  the  man- 
ner we  use  brown  wrapping-paper.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  yellow-birch  tree  at  a  distance,  is 
conspicuous.  Approaching  near  it,  in  the  au- 
tumn, it  seems  involved  in  rolls,  something  re- 
sembling large  circular  rounds  of  parchment,  or 
yellow  paper.  There  is  in  my  mind  no  ques- 
tion, but  that  among  a  numerous  and  industri- 
ous people,  such  as  the  Chinese,  this  indigenous 
product  would  become  an  article  of  general  use 
in  various  ways.  The  bark,  when  taken  from 


*  See  Note  III. 

C 


30 

the  tree,  may  be  obtained  lengthwise  of  the  tree, 
from  one  to  four  feet  in  breadth,  and  of  a  length 
equal  to  the  circumference.  It  is  sometimes 
white  with  a  yellowish  cast,  but  more  usually 
of  a  pale,  and  sometimes  of  a  deep  gold  colour. 
It  is  partible,  when  ever  so  thick,  into  the  most 
filmy  sheets.  The  Indians,  for  canoes,  use  it  of  the 
thickness  of  from  a  fourth,  down  to  the  eighth  of 
an  inch,  according  to  the  size  of  the  vessel.  Curi- 
osity and  convenience,  made  us  reduce  it  often 
to  a  film,  by  no  means  thicker  or  more  substan- 
tial, than  the  silky  paper  we  obtain  from  India. 
It  serves  equally  well  for  the  pencil  as  paper. — 
Ink  however  flows  upon  it. — In  the  course  of 
time  a  medium  may  be  discovered  to  preclude 
this  inconvenience — this  bark  will  preserve  bet- 
ter than  paper. 

The  company,  not  apprehending  the  reverses 
which  fortune  had  in  store  for  them,  left  the 
encampment  (September  30th)  full  of  courage 
and  hope,  though  a  strong  drift  of  snow,  which 
whitened  all  the  surrounding  hills,  had  fallen 
during  the  night.  Having  smooth  water,  we 
paddled  away  merrily,  probably  for  thirty  miles. 
Getchel,  besides  his  sheer  wisdom,  possessed  a 
large  fund  of  knowledge,  concerning  the  coun- 
try, which  he  had  derived  from  the  abori- 
gines, and  much  humorous  anecdote,  with 
which,  in  spite  of  our  privations,  he  made  us 
laugh.  It  was  omitted  to  be  mentioned,  that 
before  we  left  our  last  encampment,  it  became 
a  resolution  of  the  whole  party,  that  the  pork 
in  the  possession  of  each  one,  should  be  ea- 
ten raw,  and  to  eat  but  in  the  morning  and 
evening.  As  we  could  not  obtain  food,  in  this 
miserable  portion  of  the  globe,  even  for  money, 
if  we  had  it,  and  having^  nothing  else  than  our 


31 

arms  and  our  courage  to  depend  on :  unac- 
quainted with  the  true  distance  of  oirt^expedi- 
tion,  for  we  had  neither  map  nor  chart,  yet, 
resolved  to  accomplish  our  orders  at  the  hazard 
of  our  lives— we  prudently  began  to  hoard  our 
provision ;  half  a  hiscuit  and  half  an  inch  square 
of  raw  pork,  became  this  evening's  meal.  The 
days  journey  brought  us  to  the  foot  of  a  rapid, 
which  convinced  us  that  the  term  «  Dead-river,'9 
was  much  misapplied.  The  night  was  spent,  not 
upon  feathers,  but  the  branches  of  the  fir  or 
the  spruce.  It  would  astonish  you,  my  dear  chil- 
dren, if  there  was  leisure  to  explain  to  you  the 
many  comforts  and  advantages,  those  trees  af- 
ford, to  the  way-worn  traveller.  Sufiice  it  now 
to  say,  we  rested  well. 

October  1st.  The  morning  brought  on  new 
labors.  Our  secondary  guide  and  myself,  think- 
ing that  we  could  manage  the  water,  slipped 
into  our  canoe. — Getchel  and  another  worked 
Steele's,  while  our  companions,  crossing  the 
hill,  marked  the  carrying-place.  From  our 
camp  two-thirds  at  least  of  these  rapids,  were 
concealed  from  our  view.  In  much  danger, 
and  by  great  exertion,  we  surmounted  them, 
in  less  than  an  hour.  Taking  in  our  company, 
we  had  good  water  till  the  evening,  when 
we  were  impeded  by  a  precipitate  fall  of  four 
feet.  We  encamped.  October  2d.  Carrying 
here,  we  had  good  water  all  the  next  day:  Mere 
fatigue  and  great  lassitude  of  body,  most  likely, 
in  a  good  measure,  owing  to  the  want  of  food, 
caused  us  to  sleep  well.  From  cautionary  mo- 
tives our  guns,  t bough  not  uncared  for,  were 
considered  as  useless,  in  the  way  of  obtaining 
food.  Several  of  our  company  angled  success- 
fully for  trout,  and  a  delicious  chub,  which  we 


32 

call  a  fall-fish.  This  place  became  remarkable 
to  nie,  as  sometime  afterwards,  my  friends  gen- 
eral Simpson,  Robert  Dixon,  and  myself,  were 
here  at  the  point  of  death.  This  you  will  lind 
in  the  sequel.  Carrying  a  few  perches  around 
this  precipice,  we  got  into  good  water,  and 
then  performed  a  severe  days  labor. 

October  3d.  The  evening  brought  us  to  our 
encampment,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river. 
A  idling  was  resorted  to  for  food — Sergeant 
Boyd,  observing  low  ground  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  and  an  uncommon  coldness  in  the 
water,  passed  over,  and  in  an  hour  returned 
with  a  dozen  trout,  of  extraordinary  appearance. 
Long5  broad  and  thick.  The  skin  was  of  a  very 
dark  hue,  beautifully  sprinkled  with  deep  crim- 
son spots,  Boyd  had  caught  these  in  a  large 
and  deep  spring-head.  Contrasting  them  with 
those  we  caught  in  the  river,  they  were  evident- 
ly of  a  different  species.  The  river  trout,  were 
of  a  pale  ground,  with  pink  spots,  and  not  so  flat 
or  broad.  The  next  day,  proceeding  onward,  we 
here  and  there  met  with  rough  water.  In  the 
evening  we  were  told,  that  on  the  next  day,  we 
probably  should  arrive  at  the  camp  of  NatanSs, 
an  Indian,  whom  our  commander  was  instructed 
to  capture  or  kill.  Natanis  was  well  known  to 
the  white  inhabitants  of  the  lower  country:  they 
knew  from  him  the  geographical  position  of  his 
residence.  The  uninstructed  Indian,  if  he  pos- 
sesses good  sense,  necessarily  from  his  wander- 
ings as  a  hunter,  becomes  a  geographer.  This 
good  man  (as  we  subsequently  knew  him  to  be) 
had  been  wrongfully  accused  to  Arnold,  as  a 
spy,  stationed  on  this  river  to  give  notice  to  the 
British  government,  of  any  parly  passing  this  way 
into  Canada :  hence  that  cruel  order. 


33 

October  4th.     We  landed  some  miles  below 
where  we  supposed  his  house  was.     Our  canoes 
were  brought  upon  the  shore,  and  committed  to 
the  eare  of  two  of  the  party.  We  arrived  at  the 
house  of  Natanis,    after  a  march,  probably  of 
three  miles,    over  a  flat  country  covered  with 
pines,    &e.     Approaching  on  all  sides  with  the 
utmost  circumspection,    we  ran  quickly  to  the 
cabin,    our  rifles  prepared,    and  in  full  belief 
that  we  had  caught  Natanis.     Some  were  per- 
suaded,   at  the  distance  of  200  yards  from  the 
place,    that    they   saw  the   smoke   of  his  iire  : 
But  the   bird   was  llown.      lie  wras   wiser  and 
more   adroit,    than   his   assailants,    as  you  will 
afterwards  learn.  The  house  was  prettily  placed 
on  a  bank  twenty  feet  high,  about  twenty  yards 
from  the  river,  and  a  grass  plat  extended  around, 
ut  more  than  shooting  distance  for  a  ride,  free 
from    timber   and  brushwood.     The  house,  for 
an  Indian  cabin,  was  clean  and  tight,  with  two 
doors,    one  fronting  the  river,  the  oilier  on  the 
opposite  side.      We  found  many  articles  of  In- 
dian fabrication,  evidently  such  as  would  not  be 
totally  abandoned  by  the  owner:  besides,  it  was 
remarked,    that   the  coals  on  the  hearth,  from 
their    appearance,    had    been    burning  at  least 
within  a  week  past.     These  notions  did  not  allay 
our  apprehensions,  of  meeting  with  Indian  ene- 
mies.     The   canoes,    in  the  meantime,    having 
been   brought   up,    we  embarked  and  proceeded 
with   alacrity.     This   afternoon,  in  a  course  of 
some   miles,   we  came  to  a  stream  flowing  from 
the  west,  or  rather  the  northwest.    As  we  were 
going   along   in   uncertainty,    partly  inclined  to 
hike  the  westerly  stream,  one  of  the  party  foiv 
tunately   saw   a  strong   stake,  which   had  been 
driveii   down  at  the  edge  of  the  wa.ieiy  with  a 


34 

piece  of  neatly  folded  birch-bark,  inserted  into 
a  split  at  the  top.  The  bark,  as  it  was  placed, 
pointed  up  the  westerly  stream,  which  at  its 
mouth,  seemed  to  contain  more  wather  than  that 
of  our  true  course.  Our  surprize  and  attention, 
was  much  heightened,  when  opening  the  bark, 
we  perceived  a  very  perfect  delineation  of  the 
streams  above  us,  with  several  marks  which 
must  have  denoted  the  hunting  camps,  or  real 
abodes  of  I  he  map-maker.  There  were  some 
lines,  in  a  direction  from  the  head  of  one  branch 
to  that  of  another,  which  we  took  to  be  the 
course  of  the  paths,  which  the  Indians  intended 
to  take  that  season.  This  map  we  attributed 
to  Natanis,  if  not  his,  to  his  brother  Sabatis, 
who,  as  we  afterwards  knew,  lived  about  seven 
miles  up  this  Westerly  stream.  For  when  our 
party,  after  returning  to  the  twelve  mile  carry- 
ing-place, had  again  re- ascended  the  river,  we 
were  told,  by  the  crew  of  one  of  Morgan's  boats, 
that  they  had  mistaken  the  westc.rly  stream  as 
the  due  route,  and  had  found  deserted  cabins  at 
the  distance  already  mentioned,  and  the  property 
of  the  late  inhabitants,  placed  in  a  kind  of  close 
cages,  made  of  birch-bark  in  the  forks  of  the 
trees ;  these  they  most  iniquitously  plundered. 
Ve n i so n ,  corn,  ke t tie s,  &c.  wrere  the  prod u ct . 
Inspecting  the  map  thus  acquired,  we  pursued 
our  journey  fearlessly.  'Now  the  river  became 
narrower  and  shallower.  The  strength  of  each 
of  us,  was  exerted  at  poling  or  paddling  the 
canoes'.  Some  strict  water  interfered,  but  in  a 
few  days,  we  came  to  the  first  pond,  at  the  head 
of  the  JDead- river. — October  7th.  This  first 
pond,  in  the  course  of  the  traverse  we  made, 
might  be  about  a  mile,  or  a  little  more,  in  dia- 
meter. Here,  on  a  small  island,  scarcely  con- 
taining one-fourth  of  an  acre,  we  discovered- 


ami  ate,  a  delicious  speeies  of  cranberry^  en- 
tirely new  to  us*  It  grew  upon  a  bush  from 
ten  to  twelve  feet  high,  the  stock  of  the  thick- 
ness of  the  thumb,  and  the  fruit  was  as  large  as 
a  May-duke  cherry.  In  the  course  of  one  or 
two  miles,  we  reached  a  second  pond.  Between 
this  pond  and  the  third,  we  carried ;  the  commu- 
nication, thougli  not  long,  was  too  shallow  for 
oar  canoes.  The  carrying-place  was  excessively 
rugged,  and  in  high  water,  formed  a  part  of  the 
bed  of  the  stream.  The  country  around  us,  hail 
now  become  very  mountainous  and  rough.  Se- 
veral of  these  mountains  seemed  to  stand  on 
insulated  bases,  and  one  in  particular,  formed  a 
most  beautiful  cone,  of  an  immense  height. 
We  rested  for  the  evening. 

October  Stlu  Being  near  the  heighth  of  land; 
which  divides  the  waters  of  New-England,  front 
those  of  Canada,  which  run  into  the  St.  Law- 
rence. The  weather  in  consequence  of  the  ap- 
proaching winter,  had  become  piercingly  cold. 
My  wardrobe,  was  scanty  and  light.  It  consisted 
of  a  roundabout  jacket,  of  wollen,  a  pair  of 
half  worn  buckskin  breeches,  two  pair  of  wollen 
stockings,  (bought  at  Newbery-port,)  a  hat 
with  a  feather,  a  hunting-shirt,  leggins,  a  pair  of 
Htockasin.s  and  a  pair  of  tolerably  good  shoes, 
which  had  been-  closely  hoarded. 

We  set  out  early,  yet  jovially.  We  entered  a 
lake  surrounded  by  high  and  craggy  mountains, 
and  perpendicular  rocks  of  very  considerable- 
altitude,  which  about  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.  cast 
us  into  a  dusky  shade.  Pulling  the  paddle,  as 
for  life,  to  keep  myself  warm,  some  trilling*  ob- 
servation, which  fell  from  me,  relative  to  the 
place  we  were  in,  such  as  its  resemblance  to 
the  vale  of  death,  which  drew  the  attention  of 


36 

the  company:  Uetchel,  in  bis  dry  way,  turning 
toward  me,  said  "Johnny,  you  look  like  a  blue 
leather  whet  stone."  The  simplicity  and  oddi- 
ty of  the  expression,  and  the  gravity  of  his  man- 
ner, caused  great  merriment  at  my  expense,  it 
was  enjoyed  on  my  part,  certain  that  it  was  not 
an  expression  of  dis-esteem,  but  affection,  for 
the  man  liked  me.  These  minim  tales  and  je- 
june occurrences,  are  related  to  convey  to  your 
minds,  an  idea,  how  men  of  true  spirit  will  leard 
death  in  every  shape,  even,  at  times,  with  laugh- 
ter, to  effectuate  a  point  of  duty  which  is  con- 
sidered as  essential  to  the  welfare  of  their  coun- 
try. Thus  we  went  on,  incessantly  laboring, 
without  sustenance,  until  we  came,  about  3 
o'clock,  to  the  extreme  end  of  a  fifth  and  the 
last  lake.  This  days  voyage  might  amount  to 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles. 

On  this  lake,  we  obtained  a  full  view  of  those 
hills  which  were  then,  and  are  now,  called  the 
."  Heighth  of  land."  It  made  an  impression 
upon  us,  that  was  really  more  chilling,  than  the 
air  which  surrounded  us.  We  hurried  ashore — 
drew  out  our  canoes,  and  covered  them  with 
leaves  and  brush- wood.  This  done,  with  our 
arms  in  our  hands,  and  our  provision  in  our 
pockets,  we  made  a  race  across  the  mountain, 
by  an  Indian  path,  easily  aseertaiiiBble.  until  we 
arrived  on  the  bank  of  the  Chaudiere  river. 
The  distance  is  about  five  miles,  counting  the 
rising  and  descent  of  the  hill  as  two.  This 
was  the  acme  of  our  desires.  To  discover  and 
know  the  course  of  this  river,  was  the  extent  of 
our  orders :  beyond  it,  we  had  nothing  to  do. 
Our  chief,  wishing  to  do  every  thing  a  good  offi- 
cer could,  to  forward  the  service,  ask*}d,  if  any 
one  could  climb  a  tree,  around  the  foot  of  which 


we  then  stood?  It  was  a  pine  of  considerable 
height,  without  branches  for  forty  feet ;  Robert 
Cunningham,  a  strong  athletic  man,  about  twen- 
ty-five years  old,  presented  himself.  In  almost 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  he  climbed  the  tree. 
He  fully  discerned  the  meandering  course  of  the 
river,  as  upon  a  map,  and  even  descried  the 
lake  Chaudiere,  at  the  distance  of  fourteen  or 
fifteen  miles.  The  country  around  and  between 
us  and  the  lake,  was  flat.  Looking  westward, 
he  observed  a  smoke;  intimating  this  to  us, 
from  the  tree  where  he  sat,  we  plainly  perceived 
it.  Cunningham  came  down ;  the  sun  was  set- 
ting seemingly  in  a  clear  sky. 

Now  our  return  commenced — It  so  occurred,, 
that  I  was  in  the  rear,  next  to  Getchel,  who 
brought  it  up.  We  ran  in  single  file,  and  while 
it  was  light,  it  was  observed  by  me,  as  we  tried 
to  stride  into  the  footsteps  of  the  leader,  that 
he  covered  the  track  with  his  feet ;  this  was 
no  mean  duty*  It  required  the  courage,  the 
vigour,  and  the  wisdom,  which  designates  gen- 
uine manhood.  Our  object  was  to  be  concealed 
from  a  knowledge  of  any  one  who  might  com- 
municate our  presence  there,  to'the  Canadian 
government.  The  race  was  urged,  and  became 
more  rapid  by  the  indications  of  a  most  severe 
storm  of  rain  ;  we  had  scarcely  more  than  got- 
ten halfway  up  the  hill,  when  the  shower  came 
down  in  most  tremendous  torrents.  The  night 
became  dark  as  pitch ;  we  groped  the  way  across 
the,  ridge,  and  in  descending,  relied  on  the  ac- 
curacy of  our  leader,  we  continued  with  speed. 
The  precipice  was  very  steep ;  a  root,  a  twig 
perhaps,  caught  the  buckle  of  my  shoe : — trip- 
ped— I  came  down  head  foremost,  unconscious 
how  far,  but  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty  feet* 
D 


3$ 

How  my  gun  remained  unbroken,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  say.  When  I  recovered,  it  was  in  my 
hands.  My  companions  had  out- stripped  me. 
Stunned  by  the  fall,  feeling  for  the  path  with  my 
feet,  my  arrival  at  the  canoe-place  was  delayed, 
till  ten  at  night,  an  hour  and  more  later  than 
jny  friends.  An  erection  called  a  tent,  hut  more 
correctly  a  wigwam,  was  made  in  the  hurry 
with  forks,  and  cross-poles,  covered  by  the 
branches  of  lir.  It  rained  incessantly  all  that 
night.  If  the  clothes  we  wore  had  been  dry, 
they  would  have  become  wet— so  we  laid  down 
in  all  those  we  had  on.  Sleep  came  to  my  eyes, 
notwithstanding  the  drippings  of  the  pelting 
storm,  through  the  humble  roof. 

October  9th. — We  arose  before  day  The  ca- 
noes were  urged  suddenly  into  the  water,  it  still 
rained  hard,  and  at  day  light  we  thought  of 
breakfasting.  Gracious  God !  what  was  our 
fare  ?  What  could  we  produce  for  such  a  feast  ? 
Rummaging  my  breeches  pockets,  I  found  a  so- 
litary biscuit  and  an  inch  of  pork.  Half  of  the 
biscuit  was  devoted  to  the  breakfast,  and  so  also 
by  each  person,  and  that  was  consumed  in  the 
canoes  as  we  paddled  over  the  lake.  The  rain 
bad  raised  the  lake,  and  consequently  the  out- 
lets about  four  feet.  We  slided  glibly  along, 
over  passages  where  a  few  days  previously,  we 
liad  toted  our  canoes.  At  the  outlet  of  the  fourth 
lake,  counting  as  we  came  up,  a  small  duck 
appeared  within  shooting  distance.  It  was  a 
(liver,  well  known  in  our  country — a  thing  which 
\ve  here  contemn.  Knowing  the  value  of  animal 
food,  in  our  predicament,  severals  of  us  fired  at 
the  diver:  Jesse  Wheeler,  however,  (who  all 
acknowledged  as  an  excellent  shot.)  struck  it 
Ms  ball.  A  shout  of  joy  arose — the  little 


39 

diver  was  safely  deposited  in  out*  canoe.  We 
went  on  quickly,  without  accident,  till  the  even- 
ing, probably  traversing  a  space  of  more  than 
forty  miles.  At  night-fall  we  halted,  weary 
and  without  tasting  food  since  morning.  Boyd. 
and  Cunningham,  who  were  right-hand-men  on 
jriost  occasions,  soon  kindled  a  fire  against  a 
fallen  tree.  An  occurrence  this  evening  took 
place,  which  my  dear  children  you  will  hardly 
credit,  but  which  (permit  me  to  assure  you)  is 
sacredly  true:  the  company  sat  themselves  gfoo- 
liiiiy  around  tins  fire.  The  cooks,  according  to 
routine,  (whether  our  chief  or  others.)  picked 
the  duck,  and  when  picked  and  gutted,  it  was 
brought  to  the  fireside.  Here  it  became  a  ques- 
tion, how  to  make  the  most  of  our  stock  of  provi- 
sions. Finally  it  was  concluded  to  boil  the  duck 
in  our  camp-kettle,  together  with  each  man's  bit 
of  pork,  distinctively  marked  by  running  a  small 
skewer  of  wood  through  it,  with  his  particular 
and  private  designation.  That  the  broth  thus 
formed,  should  be  the  supper,  and  the  duck  on 
the  ensuing  morning  should  be  the  breakfast,  and 
which  should  be  distributed  by  «•  whose  shall 
be  this."  Strange  as  this  tale  may  appear  to 
you,  in  these  times  ;  the  agreement  was  reli- 
giously performed.  Being  young,  my  appetite 
was  i  a  venous,  as  that  of  a  wolf,  but  honor 
bound  the  stomach  tightly. 

We  rose  early,  and  each  person  selected  his 
bit  of  pork,  which  made  but  a  single  mouthful; 
— there  was  no  controversy.  The  diver  was 
parted  most  fairly,  into  ten  shares,  each  one 
eyeing  the  integrity  of  the  division.  Lieutenant 
Steele  causing  the  «  turning  of  the  back,5'  the 
lottery  gave  me  a  victory  over  my  respectable 
friend  Cunningham.  His  share,  was  the  hear? 


40 

and  the  feel,  mine  one  of  tlic  thighs.  Hungry 
and  miserable  as  we  were,  even  this  was  sport 
to  our  thoughtless  mi  ads.  In  fact,  we  were 
sustained  by  a  flattering  hope,  that  we  should 
soon  meet  our  friends  "  the  army." 

Setting  out  early  on  the  10th  of  October,  by 
the  evening  we  made  nearly  fifty  miles.  The  bit 
of  pork  and  the  rest  of  the  biscuit  became  my 
supper.  My  colleagues  were  similarly  situated. 
The  morning  sun  saw  us  without  any  food. 
We  did  not  despond.  The  consolatory  idea, 
that  on  that,  or  the  next  dkiy,  -we  sh»i?ld  cer- 
tainly join  the  army,  infused  energy  into  our 
minds  and  bodies,  Yet  being  without  food, 
though  we  loved  each  other,  every  endearment 
which  binds  man  to  man,  was  as  it  were  forgot- 
.en,  in  a  profound  silence.  After  a  long  days 
journey  still  we  were  supperless. 

The  succeeding  morning,  (llth.)  starting  ear- 
ly, we  ran  at  a  monstrous  rate.  The  waters  by 
additional  rains  above,  had  risen  greatly.  By 
ten  or  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.  we  observed  a  great 
smoke  before  us,  which  from  its  extent,  we 
€ould  ascribe  to  nothing  else,  than  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  army,  our  friends  and  fellow  sol- 
diers. After  some  time,  the  light  canoe,  seve- 
ral hundred  yards  before  us,  (with  Steele  and 
Getchel  in  it,)  passed  between  the  forks  of  a 
tree,  which  lay  rooted  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream,  where  most  likely  it  had  lain  for  many 
years.  All  its  branches  had  been  worn  away 
by  the  annual  frictions  of  the  ioe  or  waters,  ex- 
cept those  which  formed  the  fork,  and  those 
stood  directly  against  the  current,  nearly  a  foot 
out  of  water,  and  ten  or  more  feet  apart.  See- 
ing our  friends  pass  through  safely,  and  being 
unconscious  that  we  were  worse  or  less  advtfn- 


41 

turous  watermen  than  they  were,  we  risked  it. 
We  ran  with  great  velocity.  My  good  Irishman 
steered.  By  an  unlucky  stroke  of  some  one  of 
our  paddles,  (for  each  of  us  had  one,)  but  from 
his  situation  and  power  over  the  vessel  it  was 
fairly  attributable  to  the  steersman,  the  canoe 
was  thrown  a  little  out  of  its  true  course,  just 
as  it  was  entering  the  prongs  of  the  fork.  Tri- 
fling as  this  may  appear  to  you,  to  us  it  was  the 
signal  of  death.  One  of  the  prongs  took  the 
right  hand  side  of  the  canoe,  within  six  inches 
of  the  bow,  immediately  below  the  gunwale. 
Quick  as  lightning  that  side  of  the  canoe  was 
laid  open  from  stem  to  stern,  and  water  was 
gushing  in  upon  us,  which  would  inevitably 
have  sunk  us  in  a  second  of  time,  but  for  thai 
interference  of  Providence,  which  is  atheistical- 
Jy  called  presence  of  mind,  otherwise  a  bost  of 
men  could  not  have  saved  us  from  a  watery 
grave.  Instinctively  leaning  to  the  left,  we 
sunk  the  gunwale  of  that  side  down  to  the  wa- 
ter's edge,  by  which  we  raised  the  broken  side 
an  inch  and  more  out  of  it.  Calling  loudly  to 
our  companions  ahead,  they  soon  saw  our  dis- 
tress and  put  in,  at  the  great  smoke.  Carefully 
and  steadily  sitting,  and  gently  puddling,  many 
hundred  yards,  we  landed  safely.  Here  was  no 
army,  no  friends,  no  food, — OD!V  a  friendly  fire, 
kindled  by  ourselves  as  we  ascended  the  river  : 
it  had  been  our  camp.  The  fire  we  had  made 
had  scarcely  more  than  smoked,  but  now  it  had 
crept  into  the  turfy  soil,  and  among  the  roots 
of  trees,  and  was  spread  over  half  an  acre.  Our 
situation  was  truly  horrible.  When  we  had  ex- 
amined the  broken  canoe,  and  had  rummaged 
both  for  the  means  of  mending  it,  overy  heart 
seemed  dismayed.  Our  birch-bark  aad  pitch* 


42 

Lad  been  exhausted  in  former  repairs, — \ve 
were  without  food, — perhaps  one  hundred  miles 
from  the  army,  or  perhaps  that  army  had  re- 
turned to  New  England.  That  sensation  of  the 
mind  called  **  The  horror s9"  seemed  to  prevail. 
Metehel  alone  was  really  sedate  and  reflective. 
He  ordered  the  other  guide  to  search  for  birch- 
hark,  whilst  he  would  look  among  the  pines 
for  turpentine.  We  followed  the  one  or  the 
other  of  ,  these  worthies,  according  to  our  incli- 
nations, and  soon  returned  with  those  desirable 
materials.  The  cedar  root  was  in  plenty  under 
our  feet.  Now  a  difficulty  occurred,  which  had 
been  unforeseen,  and  which  was  seemingly  des- 
tructive of  all  hope.  This  was  the  want  of  fat  or 
oil  of  every  kind,  with  which  to  make  the  tur- 
pentine into  pitch.  A  lucky  thought  occurred 
to  the  youngest  of  the  company,  that  the  pork 
bag,  lay  empty  and  neglected,  in  one  of  the 
.canoes.  The  thought  and  the  act  of  bringing  it 
Avere  instantaneous.  The  bag  was  ripped,  and 
as  if  it  had  been  so  much  gold  dust,  we  scraped 
from  it  about  a  pint  of  dirty  fat.  Getchel  now 
prepared  an  abundance  of  pitch.  The  cedar 
root  gave  us  twine.  The  canoe  was  brought  up 
to  the  fire.  We  found  every  rib  except  a  few 
at  the  extreme  points,  actually  torn  from  the 
gunwale.  All  hands  set  to  work — two  hours  af- 
terwards, the  eanoe  was  borne  to  the  water. 

We  embarked,  and  proceeding  cautiously,  as 
we  thought,  along  the  shore,  (for  we  dared  not 
yet,  with  o*r  craggy  vessel,  venture  into  deep  wa- 
ter,) a  snag,  standing  up  stream,  struck  through 
the  bottom  of  the  canoe.  This  accident  hap- 
pened about  five  hundred  yards  from  the  fire. 
We  put  back  with  heavy  hearts  and  great  diffi- 
culty— our  friends  followed.  It  took  an  hour  to 


43 

patch  the  gap.  The  cup  of  sorrow  was  not  yet 
full.  As  the  men  were  bearing  the  wounded 
canoe  to  the  water,  sergeant  Boyd  who  paddled 
in  the  small  canoe,  which  was  drawn  up  as 
usual,  taking  hold  of  the  bow  raised  it  waist 
high  (as  was  right)  intending  to  slide  it  gently 
into  the  water — the  bank  was  steep  and  slipp'ry. 
Oh  !  my  dear  children,  you  cannot  conceive  the 
dread  and  horror  the  succeeding  part  of  this 
scene  produced  in  our  minds :  Mr.  Boyd's  feet 
slipped — the  canoe  fell  from  his  hands — its  own 
weight  falling  upon  the  cavity,  formed  by  the 
declivity  of  the  bank  and  the  water — broke  it 
in  the  centre,  into  two  pieces,  and  which  were 
held  together  by  nothing  but  the  gunwales. 
Now  absolute  despair  for  the  first  time  seized 
me.  A  thought  came  across  my  mind,  that  the 
Almighty  had  destined  us  to  die  of  hunger,  in 
this  inhospitable  wilderness.  The  recollection 
of  my  parents,  my  brothers  and  sister,  and  the 
clandestine  and  cruel  manner  of  my  deserting 
them,  drew  from  me  some  hidden,  yet  burning 
tears,  and  much  mental  contrition.  This  was 
unknown,  unseen  and  unheard  of  by  any,  but  he 
who  is  present  every  where,  knows  every  thing, 
and  sees  our  inmost  thoughts.  Getchel,  (com- 
paring small  things  with  great,  who  much  re- 
sembled Homer's  description  of  Ulysses,  in  his 
person,  and  whose  stayed  and  sober  wisdom  and 
foresight,  also  bovc  a  likeness  to  the  ta- 
lents of  that  hero,)  resigned,  yet  thoughtful 
and  active,  instamiy  went  to  work.  The  canoe 
was  brought  to  the  iire,  and  placed  in  a  proper 
posture  for  the  operation.  The  lacerated  parts 
were  neatly  brought  together,  and  sewed  with 
cedar  root.  A  large  ridge  of  pitch,  as  is  cus- 
tomary ir\  the  construction  of  this  kind  of  water 


44 

eraft,  was  laid  over  the  seam  to  make  it  water- 
tight. Over  the  seam  a  patch  of  strong  bark  a 
foot  in  width,  and  of  a  length  sufficient  to  encir- 
cle the  bottom,  even  to  the  gunwales,  was  sewed 
down  at  the  edges  and  pitched.  Again  over  the 
whole  of  the  work,  it  was  thought  prudent  to 
place  our  pork  bag,  which  was  well  saturated 
with  liquid  fat.  It  was  a  full  yard  wide,  and 
was  laid  down  in  the  same  manner.  This  work 
which  was  laborious  nearly  consumed  the  rest 
of  i,he  day. 

\Ye  set  out  notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the 
hour,  and  would  it  is  likely  have  gone  all  night, 
well  krifiwiig  the  water  below  to  be  good,  but 
for  an  enlivening  occurrence,  which  soon  after 
happened*  Hunger  drove  us  along  at  a  cautious 
but  rapid  rate.  The  sterilily  of  the  country 
above,  had  afforded  us  no  gume,  neither  moose, 
bear  nor  wolf:  nothing  in  short,  but  the  diver, 
and  a  red  |>h?e  squirrel,  which  was  too  small  and 
quick  to  be  killed  by  a  bullet.  These  squirrels 
did  not  much  exceed  in  size  our  striped  ground 
squirrel.  About  dusk  the  lieutenant's  canoe, 
four  hundred  yards  before  us,  had  within  view, 
turned  a  sharp  point  of  hi: id,  when  we  heard  the 
crack  of  a  rifte,  and  pi-vsi-istly  another  and  a  huz- 
za. Apprehending  an  nit  ick  from  an  enemy, 
we  pulled  hard  to  to?  cabled  to  sustain  our 
friends,  En  a  mos^cni  05*  t\vo,  observing  them 
pulling  for  the  north  sh  >re,  which  was  steep,  we 
looked  up  it  for  the  cnein^ .  Good  Heavens  !  what 
a  sight !  We  saw  a  moose-deer,  falling  on  the 
top  of  the  bank.  A  cry  of  exultation  seemed 
to  burst  the  narrow  valley  of  the  river.  Steele 
liad  struck  the  J!*M  r  In  <i;e  flank,  as  it  was  leav- 
ing the  water.  bi<;  I f  snrimg  up  the  bank  with 
agility.  Wheeler,  with  better  fortune  for  us  all. 


45 

psereed  Us  heart  as  it  arrived  at  the  top.  See- 
ing this  you  can  scarcely  imagine  the  celerity  of 
our  movements.  We  were  ashore  in  a  moment. 
A  fire  was  kindled,  the  secondary  guide  cut  oft* 
the  nose,  and  upper  lip  of  the  animal,  instantly, 
and  had  it  on  the  fire.  What  a  feast !  But  we 
were  prudent.  We  sat  up  all  night,  selecting 
the  fat  and  tit-bits — frying,  boiling,  roasting 
and  broiling,  b»it  carefully  eating  little  at  a  time. 
Towards  morning,  we  slept  a  few  hours,  abso- 
lutely careless  of  consequences.  We  knew  that 
we  had  arrived  in  a  land  where  game  v»-as  plct:ii- 
ful,  and  where  th*;re  were  no  foes  superior  to  our 
number,  to  oppose  us. 

Oct.  12. — We  i4se  after  sunrise,  and  began  ac- 
cording to  practice,  to  examine  and  prepare  our 
guns.  Prepared,  mine,  was  placed  against  a 
tree ;  my  duty,  in  course,  was  of  the  culinary 
kind.  George  Merchant,  my  coadjutor,  had 
gone  to  the  river  for  water.  He  ran  back  seiz- 
ed his  own  gun,  and  intimated  that  a  bull  moose 
was  swimming  across  the  river  towards  the 
camp.  We  jumped  to  our  arms — it  so  happened 
that  my  station  was  rearward.  The  enormous 
animal  was  coming  towards  us,  and  not  more 
than  fifty  paces  off,  his  head  and  horns  only- 
above  water.  The  sight  was  animating.  Wheel- 
er and  some  others  fired  at  his  head,  but  with- 
out effect.  The  extreme  desire  they  had  to  pos- 
sess so  noble  a  prey,  probably  caused  a  tremor 
of  the  hand,  or  that  part  of  his  body  was  impen- 
etrable to  our  small  balls,  which  is  most  likely. 
The  moose  turned  and  swam  to  the  opposite 
bank.  Having  got  to  the  verge  of  the  river,  his 
emerging  was  awaited.  My  ball  struck  precise- 
ly where  it  ought  to  kill.  The  huge  animal 
rose  the  bank  by  several  boggling  leaps,  but 


46 


lie  would  fall.     Wheeler,  and  some  others,  get- 
ting into  the   canoes,  pursued  him  by  his  blood 
half  a  mile.     When  Wheeler  returned,  he  over- 
loaded me  with  praises  for  the  accuracy  of  the 
shot,  and  was  confident  that  the  deer  was  kil- 
led.    We  had  no   time  to   spare.     We  feasted 
till  noon,  and  in  the  intermediate  moments,  cul- 
led the  entrails  for  the  fat  :  we  even  broke  the 
bones,  and  extracted  the  marrow,  under  the  full 
persuasion,  that  food  of  an  oily  nature,  is  one  of 
the  strongest  mainstays  of  iiumas:  life.     Of  th^ 
principle,  if  we  had  a  doubt,  we  were   shortly 
afterwards   most  irrefragably  convinced.      We 
departed  from   our  camp  joyously,  untortured 
by  the  fear  of  starving  :  our  canoe   sunk  deep 
by  the   weight  of  our  venison.     Running  some 
miles  and  suddenly  doubling  a  point,  we  saw  a 
large  grey  wolf  sitting  on  his  haunches-  —  he  was 
.11  red  at,  but  the  distance  was  too  great,  —  He  es- 
caped.    Looking  down  the  river  we  saw  a  moose 
swimming  from  the   main  to  -an  island  —  it  was 
soon  brought  down.     It  proved  to  be  young  —  of 
about  300  weight.     Its  ears  and  flanks  were  much 
torn  by  the  wolf.     This  prize  constituted  veal  in 
our  larder.     The  choice  parts  were  deposited  in 
the  canoes  —  the  residue  was  at  the  disposal  of 
the  wolf. 

The  following  morning,  (October  13th.)  crn- 
barking  early,  after  no  jn  we  arrived  at  our  first 
encamping  ground  on  the  «  Dead  river,95  in 
good  health  and  spirits  ;  though  pallid  and  weak, 
for  the  want  of  substantial  food  in  due  quantity. 
By  this  time  the  fat  and  marrow,  of  the  ani- 
mals we  had  killed,  were  exhausted,  and  our 
stock  of  salt  had  been  long  since  expended-.  One 
who  has  never  been  deprived  of  bread  and 


47 

salt,  nor  known  the  absence  of  oleaginous  sub- 
stances in  his  food,  cannot  make  a  true  estimate 
of  the  invaluable  benefits  of  such  ingredient^ 
in  the  sustentation  of  the  bodily  frame  ;  nor  of 
the  extremity  of  our  corporeal  debility. 

We  ascended  the  bank,  which  is  steep,  and 
about  fourteen  feet  high,  carrying  our  baggage, 
arms  and  venison,  leisurely,  by  piecemeal.  The 
canoes,  as.  being  too  heavy  for  our  strength, 
were  secured  below*  in  the  water,  by  withes.  It 
was  immediately  concluded  to  preserve  our  pro- 
visions by  jerking.  This  operation  is  done  by 
slicing  the  meat  into  thin  strips.  Then  driving 
four  forks  into  the  earth,  in  a  square  position, 
at  the  required  distance  perpendicularly,  and 
laying  poles  from  fork  to  fork,  and  poles  athwart 
from  pole  to  pole.  A  rack  is  thus  made,  about 
four  feet  high,  on  which  the  sliced  meat  is  laid, 
and  smoke- fires  are  made  underneath.  This  du- 
ly was  soon  performed.  We  now  began  to  look 
about  us,  and  discuss  the  subject  of  our  return 
to  the  army,  which  we  had,  before  this  time, 
persuaded  ourselves  we  should  meet  at  this  place. 
The  non-appearance  of  the  army  and  our  dis- 
tress, induced  a  conclusion  that  we  were  desert* 
ed,  and  abandoned  to  a  disastrous  fate,  the  ine- 
vitable result  of  which  would  be,  a  sinking  into 
eternity  for  want  of  food,  for  though  we  might 
have  killed  more  deer,  the  vigour  of  our  bodies 
was  so  reduced,  that  we  were  convinced  that 
that  kind  of  food,  could  not  restore  us  to  our 
wonted  energy,  and  enable  us  to  perform  so  rug- 
ged and  long  a  march,  as  that  to  the  frontiers  of 
Maine.  The  notion  of  navigating  the  river* 
was  scouted  as  a  fallacy,  because  we  did  not 
possess  a  sufficient  degree  of  bodily  force,  to 
bear  tUe  canoes  aeross 


43 

place.  As,  in  the  ease  of  the  retreat  of  the  ar- 
my, we -had  determined  to  follow,  it  became  re- 
quisite to  finish  the  jerking,  which  would  take 
six  days,  to  make  it  the  more  portable,  for  our 
feebleness,  and  preservable  if  we  should  have 
wet  weather  on  the  march.  It  was  further  con- 
eluded  "  That  lieutenant  Steele,  Getchel  and 
Wheeler,  should  immediately  proceed  on  foot 
across  the  twelve-mile-carrying-place,  to  meet 
the  army  :  If  they  did  meet  it,  that  they  should 
return  to  us  with  supplies  by  the  end  of  three 
da^s,  but  in  all  events  to  return."  Having 
no  doubt  of  the  honor  of  those  gentlemen, 
the  rest  of  the  party  remained,  cheerfully 
jerking  the  meat.  Now  we  experienced  the  full 
extent  of  a  new  species  of  starving.  Having  nei- 
ther bread,  nor  salt,  nor  fat  of  any  kind,  every 
day  we  remained  here,  we  became  more  and 
more  weak  and  emaciated.  We  had  plenty  of 
meat,  both  fresh  and  dried,  of  which  we  ate 
four,  five  and  six  times  a  day,  in  every  shape  we 
had  the  means  of  dressing  it.  Though  we 
gorged  the  stomach,  the  appetite  was  unsatiated. 
Something  like  a  diarrhoea  ensued,  which  con- 
tributed to  the  imbecility  of  our  bodies.  Bears 
oil  would  have  made  our  venision  savoury,  but 
such  an  animal  as  a  bear,  we  had  as  yet  not  seen 
in  all  our  wanderings.  On  the  evening  of  the 
fourth  day,  we  looked  out  for  our  absent  com- 
panions with  much  heartfelt  anxiety.  They 
came  not.  In  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  we 
consulted  upon  the  question  whether  we  should 
follow  the  army.  A  majority  voted  for  staying 
a  few  days  longer  to  complete  the  jerking.  To 
shew  you  the  great  bodily  weakness  we  were 
brought  to,  it  may  be  proper  to  relate  tho  fol- 
lowing anecdote  as  more  evincive  of  the  fact, 


49 

than  any  other  method  which  might  be  adopted* 
to  bring  it  fully  to  your  minds.  Sergeant  Boyd 
(the  strongest  and  stoutest  man  of  the  party, 
and  perhaps  of  the  army,)  and  myself,  taking 
our  arms,  descended  into  a  canoe,  and  passed 
the  river,  to  the  mouth  of  the  creek  before  men- 
tioned; intending  to  go  to  the  next  pond  on  the 
carrying-place,  there  to  meet,  as  we  hoped,  the 
advance  of  the  army.  We  staggered  along 
through  the  plain,  falling  every  now  and  the% 
if  our  toes  but  touched  a  twig  or  tuft  of  grass* 
Thus  going  forward,  we  arrived  at  the  edge  of 
the  moss -bog,  which  is  mentioned  as  we  ascend- 
ed the  river,  and  which  is  one  and  a  half,  ov 
two  miles  from  the  pond,  Here  my  worthy 
friend  Boyd,  unable  to  proceed,  sunk  down  up- 
on a  log.  My  seat,  in  tears  of  excruciating 
grief,  was  taken  beside  him,  endeavoring  to  in- 
fuse comfort  and  courage  into>lris  manly  mind- 
it  was  in  vain.  The  debility  of  his  body  had 
disarmed  his  courageous  soul.  Every  art  in  my 
power  was  exercised  to  induce  him  to  pass  the 
bog — he  would  not  listen  to  me  on  that  subject. 
Melancholy  of  the  desperate  kind  oppressed  me. 
Convinced  that  the  army  had  retreated,  a  prog- 
nostication resulted  in  my  mind,  that  we  should 
all  die  of  mere  debility  in  these  wilds.  We  sat 
an  hour..  At  length  we  agreed  to  return  to  our 
camp,  though  it  was  yet  early  in  the  afternoon. 
Our  companions  were  pleased  to  see  us,  think- 
ing our  coming  so  soon,  indicated  good  news, 
but  a  gloom  of  desperation  followed.  As  a  last, 
effort  to  save  our  lives,  we  all  agreed  to  pass 
the  river  the  next  morning  and  follow  the  army, 
which  we  were  now  assured,  had  returned  to 
Fort- Western.  Each  one  put  into  his  knapsack, 
E 


50 

as  much  of  our  mawkish  food,  as  he  could  con- 
veniently carry. 

Oct.  17. — We  started  early,  passed  the  river, 
but  from  mere  inability  to  carry  our  canoes,  left 
tl  em    behind    us,    at    the    bank  of  the   creek. 
Marching  forward,   as  fast  as  our  feeble  limbs 
would  carry  us.      When   we  came  to  the   log 
where  Boyd  had   seated  himself,  we  were  filled 
with  extatie  joy  to  observe,  on  the   far  side  of 
the  bog,  a  party  of  pioneers  forming  a  causeway 
for  the  passage  of  the  army.     Our  strength  re- 
doubled— we  passed  the  bog  with  considerable 
speed.     Our  wan  and  haggard  faces,  and  mea- 
gre bodies,    and  the  monstrous  beards  of   my 
companions,  who  had  neglected  to  carry  a  razor 
with  them,  seemed  to  strike  a  deep  sorrow  into 
the  hearts  of   the  pioneers.     They  gave  us  a 
little  of  their  food,    but   what  exhilarated   us 
more,  was  the  information,  that  major  Febiger 
with  the  advanced-guard,  lay  at  the  next  pond. 
We  urged  forward  as  fast  as  we  could.     Arriv- 
ing at  his  lire  a  little  before  my  company,  an 
incapacity  to  stand  compelled  me  to  sit.     Febi- 
ger, in  a  hurried  manner,  asked  who  we  were  ? 
and  from  whence  we  came  ?  A  few  words  ex- 
plained  the     mystery    and    cause   of    our    dis- 
tress.    A  glistening  tear  stood  in  this  brave  sol- 
dier's eye.     As  it  were  with  a  sudden  and  invo- 
luntary motion  and  much  tenderness,  he  handed 
me  his  wooden  canteen,  (which  contained  the  last 
spirits  in  the  army,)  from  me  it  passed  to  Cun- 
ningham, who  had  just  come  up,  the  most  ghast- 
ly and  way-worn  iigure  in  nature,  from  him  it 
went  round  to   the  rest,  who   arrived  gradually, 
but  slowly.     The  heart  of  Febiger  seemed  over- 
joyed at  the  relief  he  had,  and  could   afford  us. 
The  liquor  had  restored  our  fainting  spirits,  but 


51 

tins  was  not  enough  for  his  generosity  to. exhi- 
bit. He  requested  us  to  take  seats  around  the 
fire,  and  wait  the  boiling  of  his  kettle,  which 
was  well  replenished  with  pork  and  dumplins* 
This  was  all  devoted  to  our  use,  accompanied 
by  an  open  hearteclness  and  the  kindest  expres- 
sions of  interest  for  our  sufferings,  and  regard 
for  our  perseverance  in  our  duty  as  military 
men.  This  meal  to  all  of  us  seemed  a  renewal 
of  life.  It  was  accustomed  food.  Febiger,  ere 
this  time,  was  unknown  to  us,  but  in  the  pro- 
cess of  events,  he  acquired  our  esteem  and  en- 
tire confidence,  as  a  friend  and  a  real  soldier. 
Our  more  immediate  and  intimate  friends,  were 
still  beyond  the  pond,  but  coming  forward.  By- 
and- by  Morgan  came,  large,  a  commanding  as- 
pect, and  stentorian  voice.  He  wore  leggins, 
and  a  cloth  in  the  Indian  style.  His  thighs, 
which  were  exposed  to  view,  appeared  to  have 
been  lacerated  by  the  thorns  and  bushes.  He 
knew  our  story  from  Steele  and  Wheeler,  and 
greeted  us  kindly.  We  now  found  ourselves  at 
home,  in  the  bosom  of  a  society  of  brave  men. 
with  whom  we  were  not  only  willing,  but  anx- 
ious to  meet  the  brunts  of  war.  This  was  the 
twenty-sixth  day  we  had  been  absent  from  the 
army.  In  the  evening  we  resumed  our  stations 
in  our  respective  messes.  It  was  now  fully  ex- 
plained to  us,  why  Steele  had  not  brought  us 
relief.  He  had  met  the  advance  of  the  army 
on  the  Kennebeck  side  of  the  carrying-place, 
Always  alert  and  indefatigable,  when  any  duty 
was  to  be  done  :  the  labours  of  the  men  in  car- 
rying boats,  barrels  of  flour,  &c.  were  intoler- 
able, and  required  the  strength  and  athletic 
exertions  of  the  officers,  and  particularly  such 
as  lieutenant  Steele,  to  enliven  them  in  their  du- 


52 

fy.  In  bearing  a  heavy  burden  over  rugged 
ground,  he  fell  and  sprained  or  dislocated  his 
shoulder.  Notwithstanding  this  accident,  he 
had  sent  us  supplies,  but  the  bearers,  either  from 
cowardice  or  other  cause,  never  came  near  us. 
Getehel  and  Wheeler  had  other  duties  to  attend 
to — they  were  tinder  immediate  command.  We 
also  discovered  from  Steele,  that  Clifton  and 
M'Konkey,  soon  after  we  left  them,  had  desert- 
ed their  post,  carrying  all  they  could  on  their 
backs,  to  meet  the  army.  The  dastardly  vices 
of  the  latter,  prevailing  over  the  known  cou- 
rage, good  sense,  and  sedate  age,  of  the  for- 
mer :  nothing  occurs  to  me  contributory  to  the 
fame  of  these  men  afterwards.  The  iirst  was 
sin  invalid,  the  latter  a  caitiff  coward.  In  your 
scanning  the  characters  of  men,  which  you  will 
be  compelled  to  do  in  your  own  defence,  in  the 
course  of  your  lives,  it  will  be  a  good  general 
rule  for  you  to  adopt :  That  whether  you  be 
in  the  company  of  military  men — -scholars— men 
of  the  law — legislators,  &e.  &c.  in  short,  per- 
sons of  any  profession  or  class,  if  you  find  a 
person  very  loquacious— dragging  the  conversa- 
tion to  himself,  and  in  a  dictatorial  way  taking 
the  lead  ;  but  more  especially  if  he  talks  of  his 
own  prowess — deep  reading — causes  he  has  gain- 
ed— eloquence,  &c.  &e.  but  still  more  so  if  the 
party  boasts  of  wealth  or  ancestry.  In  the 
iirst  instance,  without  hesitation,  set  such  a 
person  down  in  your  memory  as  a  braggadocio, 
a  mere  puffer,  until  you  can  inquire  further  for 
proof  to  the  contrary.  There  are,  to  my  knowl- 
edge, exceptions  to  this  general  rule,  but  few 
in  number,  particularly  in  the  military  class. 
M'Konkey  was  of  the  puffing  sect,  and  there 


53 

never  was  a  more  consummate  scoundrel  and 
coward. 

October  18th. — Now  we  turned  our  faces  to- 
wards the  north.  Having  rejoined  our  mess- 
mates, enjoying  substantial  food  and  warm  tents, 
we  soon  recruited  a  good  degree  of  strength* 
and  our  former  gaiety  of  temper  and  hilarity  re- 
turned to  us.  We  accompanied  the  army,  and 
became  a  kind  of  guides  in  minute  matters,  for 
the  paths  and  carrying  places  we  had  sufficient- 
ly developed,  for  captain  Ayres  and  his  pioneers, 
by  strong  blazing  and  snugging  of  bushes,  so 
that  he  might  proceed  in  perfect  security,  in  the 
performance  of  the  duties  of  his  ofiice.  The 
three  companies  of  riflemen  under  Morgan  took 
lip  our  old  encamping  ground  on  the  "  Dead 
river,"  during  the  afternoon  of  the  following 
day. 

Oct.  19th  &  20 tli. — Here  we  lay  encamped  for 
several  days,  waiting  the  arrival  of  the  rear  of 
she  New  England  troops  :  they  came  up  hourly. 
During  our  stay  here,  it  pleased  me  internally, 
1.0  observe,  that  Morgan  adopted  certain  rules 
of  discipline,  absolutely  necessary  to  the  state 
we  were  in,  but  discordant  with  the  wild  and 
extravagant  notions,  of  our  private  men.^  Pow- 
der and  ball,  particularly  the  first,  to  us  rifle- 
men was  of  the  first  consequence.  At  Cam- 
bridge the  horns  belonging  to  the  men,  were  fil- 
led with  an  excellent  riile  powder — which,  when 
expended,  could  not  be  replaced  in  Canada  by 
any  powder  of  an  equal  quality.  The  men  had 
got  into  a  habit  of  throwing  it  away  at  every 
trifling  object.  Upon  our  return  from  the  Chau- 
diere,  this  circumstance  raised  disgust  in  us: 

*  See  Note  IV. 

E  2 


54 

for  we  had  been  studiously  careful  of  our  am- 
munition, never  firing  but  at  some  object  which 
would  give  us  the  means  of  subsistence.  Though 
\ve  drew  our  loads  every  morning,  from  a  fear 
of  the  dampness  of  the  atmosphere,  yet  the  ball 
arid  powder  were  never  lost.  Our  bullet  screws 
brought  the  first  out  with  ease,  and  it  was  re- 
east — the  latter  was  carefully  returned  to  the 
horn,  where,  if  moist,  it  soon  became  dry.  The 
principal  of  Morgan's  *ules  were,  that  there 
should  be  no  straggling  from  the  camp ; — and 
no  firing  without  authoritative  permission.  Rea- 
sonable as  these  injunctions  were,  they  were  op- 
posed. Being  young  and  my  friend  Steele  ab- 
sent, a  whisper  of  approbation  did  not  fall  from 
me,  which,  in  my  subordinate  station,  might  have 
been  indelicate.  It  was  left  to  the  energy  of 
Morgan's  mind,  and  he  conquered.  During  our 
resting  here,  Arnold,  accompanied  by  Steele  and 
some  excellent  boatmen,  proceeded  to  the  head 
of  the  river.  The  rifle  corps  preceded  the 
main  body  of  the  army,  both  by  land  and  water. 
The  boats,  which  were  heavily  laden  with  bag- 
gage and  provisions,  took  in  no  more  men  than 
were  necessary  to  navigate  them,  that  is,  three 
to  a  boat.  The  remainder  of  the  army  marched 
by  land,  the  river  being  generally  the  guide. 

Here,  my  dear  children,  permit  me  to  give  you 
the  genuine  character  of  my  friend,  general 
Simpson,  whom  you  all  know  personally.  He 
was  among  my  earliest  and  best  friends.  He 
was  then  as  apparently  eccentric,  as  he  is  at  this 
time  :  there  is  no  obvious  difference  in  his  man- 
ners between  the  two  periods.  As  an  officer,  he 
was  always  active  and  keen  in  the  performance 
c*f  his  duty.  Hard  was  the  service ;  but  his 


55 

heart  was  soft  to  his  friend.  Simpson  invited 
his  messmate  aboard  his  boat,  being  still  some- 
what feeble  from  our  late  privations  :  the  invi- 
tation was  gladly  accepted. 

Oct.  21st. — We  embarked.  Having  lieu t.  Simp- 
son for  a  steersman,  and  John  Tidd  and  James 
Dougherty  as  boatmen,  \ve  went  gaily  on  for 
that  and  the  next  day  :  able  to  lead  any  boat  in 
the  river. 

October  22d. — On  the  evening  of  this  second 
day,  we  encamped  on  a  bank  eight  or  nine  feet 
high,  at  a  place  where  we  had  rested  when  as^ 
cending  the  river  the  first  time.  In  the  evening 
a  most  heavy  torrent  of  rain  fell  uporvus,  which 
continued  all  night.  Having  now  a  good  tent 
over  our  heads,  the  incovenience  was  not  much 
felt.  We  slept  soundly.  Towards  morning,  we 
were  awaked  by  the  water  which  flowed  in  upon 
us  from  the  river.  We  iled  to  high  ground. 

Oct.  23d. — When  morning  came  the  river  pre- 
sented a  most  frightful  aspect :  it  had  risen  at 
least  eight  feet,  and  flowed  with  terrifying  ra- 
pidity. None  but  the  most  strong  and  active 
boatmen  entered  the  boats.  The  army  inarched 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  making  large  cir- 
cuits to  avoid  the  overfloAvings  of  the  intervale 
or  bottom  lands.  This  was  one  of  the  most  fa- 
tiguing marches  we  had  as  yet  performed,  though 
the  distance  was  not  great  in  a  direct  line. 
But  having  no  path  and  being  necessitated  to 
climb  the  steepest  hills,  and  that  without  food, 
for  we  took  none  with  us,  thinking  the  boats 
would  be  near  us  all  day.  In  the  evening  we 
arrived  at  the  fall  of  four  feet,  which  was  men- 
tioned when  ascending  the  river.  Alas  !  all  the 
beats  of  the  army  were  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river.  The  pitch  of  the  fall  made  a  dread- 


56 

ful  noise,  and  the  current  ran  with  immense  Te- 
locity. We  sat  down  on  the  bank  sorely  pinch- 
ed by  hunger,  looking  wistfully  towards  our 
friends  beyond  the  torrent,  who  were  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  provisions,  tents  and  camp 
equipage.  Convinced  however,  that  the  most 
adventurous  boatman  would  not  dare  the  pas- 
sage, for  the  sake  of  accommodating  any  of  us. 
We  were  mistaken.  There  were  two  men,  and 
only  two  who  had  skill  and  courage  to  dare  it. 
Need  lieutenant  Simpson  on  an  occasion  like  this, 
be  named ;  he,  accompanied  by  John  Tidd,  en- 
tered his  empty  boat.  What  skill  in  boatman- 
ship  !  what  aptitude  with  the  paddle  was  here 
exhibited.  The  principal  body  of  the  water 
run  over  the  middle  of  the  fall,  and  created  a 
foaming  and  impetuous  tot'rent,  in  some  mea- 
sure resembling,  at  this  particular  time,  of  a 
very  high  freshet,  that  of  the  Oswego-falls, 
which  had  been  known  to  me  ere  this.  The 
river  was  about  150,  or  200  yards  in  breadth, 
counting  on  the  increase  of  water  by  the  rains. 
The  force  of  the  central  current,  naturally  form- 
ed considerable  eddies  at  each  side  of  the  river, 
close  under  the  pitch.  Simpson  now  disclosed 
his  amazing  skill.  Though  there  was  an  eddy, 
even  that  was  frightful,  he  came  by  its  mean 
nearly  under  the  pitch,  and  trying  to  obtain  an 
exact  start,  failed.  The  stream  forced  his  boat 
down  the  river,  but  he  recovered  and  brought 
it  up*  Now  we,  who  were  trembling  for  the  fate 
of  our  friend,  and  anxious  for  our  own  accom- 
modation, began  to  fear  he  might  be  drawn 
under  the  pilch.  Quick,  almost  in  a  moment, 
Simpson  was  with  us.  He  called  iii  his  loud 
voice  to  Robert  Dixon,  James  Old  (a  messmate) 
and  myself  to  enter  the  boat — We  entered  im- 


57 

mediately.  He  pushed  off;  attempting  the  stal't 
by  favor  of  the  hither  eddy,  which  was  the 
main  thing — we  failed.  Returning  to  the  shore, 
we  were  assailed  by  a  numerous  band  of  soldiers, 
hungry,  and  anxious  to  be  with  their  compan- 
ions. Simpson  told  them  he  could  not  carry 
more  with  safety,  and  would  return  for  them. 
Henry  M*Annaly,  a  tall  Irishman,  w  ho  could  not 
from  experience,  comprehend  the  danger,  jump- 
ed into  the  boat,  he  was  followed  by  three  or 
four  other  inconsiderate  men.  The  counters 
ance  of  Simpson  changed,  his  soul  and  mine 
Mrere  intimate  "  O  God/'  said  he,  "  men  we  shall 
all  die."  They  would  not  recede.  Again  we 
approached  the  pitch;  it  was  horrible.  The 
batteaux  swam  deep,  almost  ungovernable  by  the 
paddle.  Attempting  again  to  essay  the  depar- 
ture— we  failed.  The  third  trial  was  made  :  it 
succeeded.  As  lightning  we  darted  athwart  the 
river.  Simpson  with  his  paddle,  governed  the 
stern.  The  worthy  Tidd  in  the  bow.  Dixon 
and  myself,  our  guns  stuck  in  the  railing  of  the 
batteaux,  but  without  paddles,  sat  in  the  stern 
next  to  Simpson.  Mr.  Old  was  in  the  bow  near 
Tidd.  Henry  M«Annaly  was  adjoining  Mr.  Old. 
The  other  men  sat  between  the  stern  and  bow. 
Simpson  called  to  the  men  in  the  bow,  to  lay  hold 
of  the  birch  bushes — the  boat  struck  the  shore 
forcibly:  they  caught  hold,  M>Annaly  in  parti- 
cular, (this  was  in  the  tail  of  the  eddy,)  but  like 
children,  their  holds  slipped,  at  the  only  spot 
where  we  could  have  been  saved  ;  for  the  boat 
had  been  judiciously  and  safely  brought  up. 
Letting  go  their  holds,  the  bow  came  round  to 
the  stream,  and  the  stern  struck  the  shore. 
Simpson,  Dixon,  and  myself,  now  caught  the 
bushes,  but  being  by  this  time  thrown  into  the 


58 

current,  the  strength  of  the  water  made  the 
withes,  as  so  many  straws  in  our  hands.  The 
stern  again  swung  round:  the  how  eame  again 
ashore.^  Mr.  Old,  Tidd,  and  M'Annaly,  and  the 
yest,  sprung  to  the  land  to  save  their  lives.  Do- 
ing this,  at  our  cost,  their  heels  forced  the  boat 
across  the  current.  Though  we  attempted  to 
steady  it,  the  boat  swagged.  In  a  moment  af- 
ter, at  thirty  feet  off  shore,  it  being  broad  side 
to  the  current,  turned;  borne  under,  in  spite  of 
all  our  force,  by  the  fury  of  the  stream.  The 
boat  upsetting,  an  expression,  as  going  into  the 
water,  fell  from  me,  "  Simpson  we  are  going  to 
heaven/*  My  fall  was  head-foremost.  Simp- 
son eame  after  me — his  heels,  at  the  depth  of 
fifteen  feet  or  more,  were  upon  my  head  and 
neck;  and  those  grinding  on  the  gravel.  We  rose 
nearly  together,  your  father  first — my  friend 
followed.  The  art  of  swimming,  in  which,  I 
thought  myself  an  adept,  was  tried,  but  it  was 
a  topsy-turvy  business,  the  force  of  the  water 
threw  me  often  heels-over-head. 

In  the  course  of  this  voyage,  after  a  few  hun- 
dred yards,  Simpson  was  at  my  side,  but  the 
force  of  the  stream,  prevented  the  exertion  of 
swimming;  yet  the  impetuosity  of  the  current, 
kept  us  up.  It  drove  us  toward  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  against  a  long  ridge  of  perpendicular 
rocks  of  great  extent :  Luckily  in  the  course  of 
some  hundred  yards,  the  current  changed,  and 
brought  us  perforce  to  the  north  side  of  the 
river.  Floating  along  with  my  head  just  above 
water — prayers  in  sincere  penitence  having  been 
uttered,  a  boat's  crew  of  the  eastern  men,  hand- 
ed me  a  pole.  It  was  griped  as  by  the  hand  of 
death — but  griped  the  pole  remained  to  me.  The 
strength  of  water  was  such,  that  the  boat  would 


59 

inevitably  have  upset,  if  the  boatman  had  kept 
his  hold.  A  glau^e  of  the  eye  in  tonne*.!  me, 
that  my  companion  in  misfortune,  had  shared 
the  same  fate.  Resigned  into  the  bosom  of  my 
Saviour*  my  eyes  became  closed ;  the  death 
appeared  to  me,  a  hard  one  ;  sensibility  in  a 
great  degree  forsook  me.  Driving  with  the  cur- 
rent some  hundreds  of  yards  more,  the  most 
palpable  feeling  recollected,  was  the  striking  of 
rny  breast  against  a  root  or  hard  substance. 
My  head  came  above  water.  Breathing  ensu- 
ed; at  the  same  moment  Simpson  raised  his 
head  out  of  the  water,  his  gold  laced  hat  on  it, 
crying  "Oh !"  neither  of  us  could  have  crept  out : 
we  should  have  there  died;  but  for  the  assis- 
tance of  Edward  Cavanaugli,  an  Irish  man,  an 
excellent  soldier,  w  ho  was  designated  in  the  com- 
pany by  the  appellation  of  "Honest  Ned."  Pas- 
sing from  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  he  happen- 
ed to  come  to  the  eddy,  at  the  instant  of  time  my 
breast  struck.  He  cried  out  "Lord  Johnny  !  is 
this  you?  and  instantly  dragged  me  out  of  the 
water.  Simpson  immediately  appearing,  he  did 
him  the  same  good  oilicc.  Lying  on  the  earth 
perhaps  twenty  minutes,  the  water  pouring  from 
me,  a  messenger  from  the  camp  came  to  rouse 
us.  Roused  we  went  to  it.  But  all  eyes  looked 
out  for  Dixon,  all  hearts  were  wailing  for  his 
loss.  It  was  known  he  could  not  swim,  but  none 
of  us  could  recollect  whether  he  had  dropped 
into  the  water  or  had  adhered  to  the  boat.  In 
some  time  we  had  the  inexpressible  pleasure  of 
Dixon  in  our  company.  He  had  stuck  to  the 
side  of  the  boat,  which  lodged  on  a  vast  pile  of 
drift  wood  some  miles  below,  and  in  this  way 
he  was  saved.  Arriving  at  the  camp  our  friends 
had  a  large  fire  prepared,  particularly  for  our 


60 

accommodation ;  heat  upon  such  an  occurrence 
is  most  agreeable.  My  two  friends  in  distress* 
whose  clothing;  was  principally  woollen — felt 
none  of  my  private  disaster.  My  leather  breeches 
attached  closely  and  coldly  to  the  skin.  Modes- 
ty prohibited  a  disclosure.  The  sense  of  pain 
or  inconvenience  which  was  observed  by  my 
seniors,  caused  an  inquiry.  Immediately  the 
breeches  were  off  and  stuck  upon  a  pole  to  dry. 
Simpson  was  so  much  exhilarated  by  our  es- 
cape, that  seated  on  a  stump,  he  sung  "Plato" 
in  great  glee.  It  became  a  favorite  with  us. 
During  all  this  time,  perhaps  till  one  or  two 
o'clock,  my  breeches  were  in  my  hand  almost 
in  continued  friction.  The  laugh  of  the  com- 
pany was  against  me,  but  it  was  borne  stoically. 
The  following  morning,  (October  24,)  pre- 
sented me  with  many  difficulties :  to  be  sure  my 
horn,  with  a  pound  of  powder,  and  my  pouch, 
with  seventy  bullets,  were  unharmed  by  the 
water,  though  around  my  neck  in  the  course  of 
our  swimming:  Yet  I  had  lost  my  knapsack, 
my  hat,  and  my  most  precious  rifle.  Awaking, 
the  world  appeared  to  be  a  wild  waste.  Dis- 
armed, my  insignificance  pressed  strongly  on 
my  mind- — dishonor  seemed  to  follow  of  course. 
Without  the  armour  of  defence,  men  and  nations 
are  mere  automatons,  liable  to  be  swayed  by 
the  beck  of  power  and  subject  to  the  hand  of 
oppression.  Young  as  your  father  was,  his  soul 
was  oppressed.  To  return  with  the  invalids 
was  dreadful,  and  without  arms,  he  could 
not  proceed.  Comfort  came  to  me  in  the  shape 
of  lieutenant,  now  general  Nichols,  then  of 
Hendricks.  He  had  two  hats — he  presented 
•me  one:  but  what  was  more  to  my  purpose,  he, 
or  general  Simpson,  informed  me,  that  some  of 


61 

the  invalid's  \vished  to  dispose  of  their  rifles. 
With  the  assistance  of  Nichols  and  Simpson,  a 
bargain  was  struck  with  a  person  called  Wil- 
liam Reynolds,  or  Rannels,  of  our  company; 
who  was  miserably  sick,  and  returned  in  the 
boats.  Money  was  out  of  the  question,  an  or- 
der upon  my  father,  dated  at  this  place,  for  the 
price  of  twelve  dollars  was  accepted,  and  after- 
wards in  due  time,  paid  honorably.  This  gun 
was  short,  about  45  balls  to  the  pound,  the 
stock  shattered  greatly,  and  worth  about  40  shil- 
lings. Necessity  has  no  law.  Never  did  a  gun, 
ill  as  its  appearance  was,  shoot  with  greater 
certainty,  and  where  the  ball  touched,  from  its 
size,  it  was  sure  to  kill.  This  observation,  trif- 
ling as  it  may  seem,  ought  to  induce  govern- 
ment to  adopt  guns  of  this  size,  as  to  length  of 
barrel,  and  size  of  ball.  There  are  many  rea- 
sons to  enforce  this  opinion.  We  departed  from 
this  place,  without  any  material  occurrence, 
and  went  rapidly  forward. 

Somewhat  laughable  ensued  on  the  morning 
of  the  27th  of  October,  near  the  first  pond,  at 
the  head  of  the  river.  The  Virginians  (though 
it  is  not  probable  that  any  of  the  officers,  ex- 
cepting one)  had  taken  up  the  idea,  that  they 
were  our  superiors  in  every  military  qualifica- 
tion, and  ought  to  lead.  Hemiricks,  though 
the  oldest  commissioned  officer  of  the  rifle  com- 
panies, was  still  the  youngest  man.  For  the 
sake  of  pence  and  good  oritar,  he  had  not  as- 
sented to,  but  merely  acquiesced  in  Morgan's 
assumption  of  the  command  of  our  corps,  as  the 
elder  person.  Those  men,  who  were  clever  and 
brave,  were  just  such  in  that  behalf,  as  we  were 
ourselves :  but  a  Mr.  Heath,  who  was  blind  of 
an  eye,  a  lieutenant  of  Morgan's,  seemed  to 
F 


think,  that  all  others  were  inferior  to  those  of 
the  "  ancient  dominion."  We  had  a  hard  morn- 
ing' $  pushing,  when  coming  up  to  the  first  pond, 
at  the  head  of  the  "  Dead-river,"  we  saw  Heath 
before  us.  Observing  .to  Simpson,  "push  him" 
we  went  up  with  much  force  ;  poor  Heath  la- 
boring as  a  slave,  to  keep  his  place.  Tidd  and 
Dougherty,  felt  my  spirit,  as  much  as  Simpson 
did.  At  the  moment  of  our  passing,  for  we 
went  up  on  the  outside  of  him,  towards  the  mid- 
dle of  the  current,  his  pole  stuck — upon  which 
lie  gave  us  a  few  hearty  cuvses.  Entering  the 
lake,  the  boat  under  my  guidance  and  .informa- 
tion, steered  directly  for  the  passage  to  the  se- 
t'ond  lake.  Humphreys  (Morgan's  first  lieuten- 
ant) a  brave  and  most  amiable  man,  whom  we 
liighly  esteemed,  was  in  a  bqat  far  to  the  left, 
searching  for  a  passage.  Simpson,  at  my  in- 
stance, hailed  him  to  come  on. — He  answered 
there  was  no  passage  there,  alluding  to  the  place 
we  steered  for.  Encouraging  my  friend  to  go 
«m,  the  deception  Humphreys  lay  under,  was 
soon  discovered.  The  creek  was  deep  and  ser- 
pentine, and  the  country  around,  for  a  consider- 
able distance,  a  Hat.  A  log  brought  down  by 
the  last  freshet,  lay  across  the  stream,  so  as  to 
give  to  a  stranger  the  idea,  that  the  mouth  of 
the  creek,  Mas  merely  a  nook  of  the  lake.  Set- 
ting the  log  afloat,  as  was  easily  done,  the  boat 
proceeded. 

October  28..  Continuing  rapidly,  for  now  we 
had  no  carrying,  nor  marking  of  trees,  there 
being  plenty  of  water,  the  evening  was  spent  at 
the  foot  of  Iliat  mountain,  called  the  Heighth- 
cf-Kaid.  This  was  a  day  of  severe  labor.  The 
navigation  of  the  Chaudierc,  being  so  far  as 
information  went,  represented  to  the. cap- 


63 

tains,  Hendrieks  and  Smith,  as  very  danger- 
ous, they,  to  save  their  men,  concluded  to 
carry,  over  the  hill,  hut  one  boat  for  each 
of  their  companies.  This  resolution  was  easi- 
ly accomplished.  Morgan,  on  the  other  hand, 
determined  to  carry  over  all  his  boats.  It  would 
have  made  your  heart  ache/  to  view  the  intoler- 
able labors  his  tine  fellows  underwent.  Some 
of  them,  it  was  said,  had  the  flesh  worn  from 
their  shoulders,  even  to  the  bone.  The  men 
said  it;  but  by  this  time  an  antipathy  against 
Morgan,  as  too  strict  a  disciplinarian  had  arisen. 
On  the  following  day,  (October  29th,)  the 
army,  disjointed  as  was  our  corps,  at  least  Hen- 
drick's  and  Smith's,  encamped  on  the  plain,  on 
the  bank  of  the  Chaudiere.  Morgan  afterwards 
took  his  station  near  us.  Here  it  first  became 


knowiv  that  Enos  had  returned  from 
the  twetvefnile  carrying- place,  with  £00  men, 
u  large  stock  of  provisions,  and  the  medicine 
chest.  It  damped  our  spirits  much,  but  our 
commander  conceived,  it  was  belter  to  proceed 
than  return.  We  were  about  a  hundred  miles 
from  the  frontier  of  Camuhi,  but  treble  that  dis- 
tance from  (hat  of  New-England.  Our  provi- 
sions were  exhausted.  We  had  no  meat  of  any 
kind.  The  flour  which  remiuned,  so  far  as  I 
know,  was  divided  fairly  and  equally,  among 
the  whole  of  the  troops,  the  riflemen  shared  five 
pints  of  flour  per  man.  During  the  night  and 
the  ensuing  morning,  the  flour  was  baked  into 
live  cakes  per  man,  under  the  ashes,  in  the  way 
of  Indian  bread. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  we  set  forward.  The 
men  were  told  by  the  officers  "that  order  would 
"  not  be  required  in  the  march,  each  one  must 
«  put  the  best  foot  foremost.'5  The  first  day's 


64 

inarch  was  closed  by  a  charming  sleep  en  fir- 
Ijranches.  The  gentlemen  of  our  mess  lay  to-t 
gether,  covering  themselves,  with  the  blankets 
of  each  one.  My  memory  does  not  serve,  to 
say,  that  any  stir  was  made  by  any  one,  during 
the  night.  Happening  to  be  the  first  who  awak- 
ed, in  the  morning,  the  blanket  was  suddenly 
thrown  from  my  head,  but  what  was  my  sur- 
prise to  find,  that  we  had  lain  under  a  cover  of 
at  least  four  inches  of  snow.  'We  scarcely  had 
risen  and  had  our  kettle  on  the  fire,  when  our 
drummer,  (we  had  no  bugles,)  John  ShaefFer, 
came  slipshod  to  ou^'  lire,  complaining,  that 
.all  his  cakes  had  been  stolen  from  him.  A 
more  wretched  figure  was  scarcely  ever  beheld. 
He  was  purblind.  This  circumstance,  though 
he  was  my  townsman,  and  acquainted  with  uxe 
from  my  earliest  infancy,  was  yet  unknown  to 
me  until  this  last  march/ ascending  the  "Beau- 
river,"  commenced.  My  station  in  the  line  of 
march,  which  was  in  the  single  file,  (or  Indian, 
us  it  was  then  called.)  was  next  to  the  captain; 
the  drummer  followed.  Here  it  was  his  defect 
of  sight  was  most  effectually  shewn.  Smith 
was  lUksGRie  and  quick  afoot,  as  we  all  were, 
(except  poor  Shaeffer.)  In  the  course  of  this 
toilsome  march,  without  a  path,  many  deep  ra- 
vines presented,  over  these  lay  many  logs,  fal- 
len perhaps  many  years  before.  The  captain 
took  the  log,  preferring  it  to  a  descent  of  20  or 
30  feet  into  the  gulph  below,  which  at  times  was 
quite  abrupt.  Following  me,  ShaeiFer  would 
frequently,  drum  and  all,  tumble  headlong  into 
the  abyss.  His  misfortunes  in  this  way,  for  he 
was  a  laughing  stock,  excited  contempt  in  the 
soldiers,  but  in  me  compassion.^  Often,  he  re- 
quired my  aid.  On  this  latter  occasion,  our 
*  See  Note  V. 


65 

kettle,  boiling  a  bleary,  which  was  no  other 
than  flour  and  water,  and  that  without  salt,  my 
solicitations  prevailing,  the  mess  gave  him  a  tin: 
cup  full  of  it.  He  received  from  me  my  third 
cake.  This  man,  blind,  starving,  and  almost 
naked,  bore  his  drum  (which  was  unharmed  by 
all  its  jostlings)  safely  to  Quebec,  when  many 
other  hale  men  died  in  the  wilderness. 

This  morning,  the  first  of  November,  break- 
fasting on  our  bleary,  we  took  up  the  line  of 
march  through  a  flat  and  boggy  ground.  About 
ten  o'clock  A.  M.  we  arrived,  by  a  narrow  neck 
of  land  at  a  marsh  which  was  appalling.  It  was 
three  fourths  of  a  mile  over,  and  covered  by  a 
eoat  of  ice,  half  an  inch  thick*  Here  Simpson 
concluded  to  halt  a  short  time  for  the  stragglers 
or  maimed  of  Hendriek's  and  Smith's  compa- 
nies to  come  up.  There  were  two  women  at- 
tached to  those  companies,  who  arrived  before 
we  commenced  the  inarch.  One  was  the  wife 
of  serjeant  Grier,  a  large,  virtuous  and  res- 
pectable woman.  The  other  was  the  wife  of  a 
private  of  our  company,  a  man  who  lagged  up- 
on every  occasion.  These  women  being  arrived, 
it  was  presumed  that  all  our  party  were  up. 
We  were  on  the  point  of  entering  the  marsh, 
when  some  one  cried  out  «  Warner  is  not  here." 
Another  said  he  had  "  sat  down  sick  under  a 
tree,  a  few  miles  back."  His  wife  begging  us 
to  wait  a  short  time,  with  tears  of  affection  in 
her  eyes,  ran  back  to  her  husband.  We  tarried 
an  hour.  They  came  not.  Entering  the  pond, 
(Simpson  foremost,)  and  breaking  the  ice  here 
and  there  with  the  buts  of  our  guns  and  feet, 
as  occasion  required,  we  were  soon  waist  deep 
in  the  mud  and  water.  As  is  generally  the  case 
with  youths,  it  came  to  my  mind;  that  a  better 
F  3 


66 

path  might  be  found  than  that  of  the  more  el- 
derly guide.  Attempting  this,  in  a  triee  the 
water  cooling  my  armpits,  made  me  gladly  re- 
turn into  the  file.  Now  Mrs.  Grier  had  got  be- 
fore me.  My  mind  was  humbled,  yet  astonish- 
ed, at  the  exertions  of  this  good  woman.  Hep 
clothes  more  than  waist  high,  she  waded  before 
me  to  the  firm  ground.  No  one  so  long  as  she  was 
known  to  us,  dared  to  intimate  a  disrespectful 
idea  of  her.  Her  husband,  who  was  an  excel- 
lent soldier,  was  on  duty  in  Hendricks'  boat, 
which  had  proceeded  to  the  discharge  of  the 
lake  with  lieutenant  M'Clelund.  Arriving  at 
firm  ground,  and  waiting  again  for  our  compa- 
nions, we  then  set  off,  and  in  a  march  of  several 
miles,  over  a  scrubby  and  flat  plain,  arrived  at 
a  river  flowing  from  the  east  into  the  Chaudiere 
lake.  This  we  passed  in  a  batteau,  which  the 
prudence  of  colonel  Arnold  had  stationed  here, 
for  our  accommodation ;  otherwise  we  must 
have  swam  the  stream,  which  was  wide  anil 
deep.  In  a  short  time  we  came  to  another  river 
flowing  from  the  same  quarter,  still  deeper  and 
wider  than  the  former.  Here  we  found  a  bat- 
teau, under  the  superin tendency  of  capt.  Dear- 
borne,  in  which  we  passed  the  river.  We  skirt- 
ed the  river  to  its  mouth,  then  passed  along  the 
margin  of  the  lake  to  the  outlet  of  Chaudiere, 
"where  we  encamped  with  a  heterogeneous  mass 
of  the  army.  It  was  soon  perceived,  that  the 
French  term  Chaudiere,  was  most  aptly  applied 
to  the  river  below  us.  Indeed  every  part  of  it, 
ivhich  came  under  our  view,  until  we  arrived 
at  the  "  first  house"  in  Canada,  might  well  be 
termed  a  caldron  or  boiler,  which  is  the  import 
t>f  its  French  name.  It  is  remarkaWe  of  this 
and  winch,  to  me,  distinguishes  it  from 


67 

all  others  I  had  seen,  that  for  60  or  7a  miles, 
it  is  a  continued  rapid,  without  any  apparent 
gap  or  passage  ;  even  for  a  canoe.  Every  boat 
we  put  into  the  river,  was  stove  in  one  part  or 
other  of  it.  Captain  Morgan  lost  all  his  boats, 
and  the  life  of  a  much  valued  soldier.  With 
difficulty  he  saved  his  own  life  and  the  treasure 
committed  to  his  care.  Arnold,  accompanied 
by  Steele,  and  John  M.  Taylor,  and  a  few  others, 
in  a  boat,  were  in  the  advance  of  the  army.  He 
may  have  descended  in  a  boat,  it  is  most  likely 
he  did.* 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  November,  we 
set  off  from  the  Chaudiere  lake,  and  hungered,  as 
to  my  own  particular,  almost  to  death.  What 
wiih  the  suplies  to  Shaefifer,  and  my  own  appe- 
tite, food  of  any  kind,  with  me,  had  become  a 
nonentity.  My  own  sufferings,  in  the  two  suc- 
ceeding marches,  from  particular  causes,  were 
more  than  ordinarily  severe.  My  raockasins 
hud,  many  days  since,  been  worn  to  shreds  and 
cast  aside  :  My  shoes,  though  they  had  been  well 
sewed  and  hitherto  stuck  together,  now  begaa 
to  give  way,  and  that  in  the  very  worst  part, 
(the  upright  seam  in  the  heel.)  For  one  to  save 
his  life,  must  keep  his  station  in  the  rank — The 
Bioment  that  was  lost,  as  nature  and  reason  dic- 
tate, the  following  soldier  assumed  his  place. 
Thus,  once  thrown  out  of  the  file,  the  unfor- 
tunate wretch  must  await  the  passage  of  many 
meti,  until  a  chasm,  towards  the  rear,  happen- 
ed to  open  for  his  admission.  This  explanation 
will  answer  some  questions  which  you  might 
naturally  put.  Why  did  you  not  sew  it  ?  Why 

*  June  26th,  1809.  John  M.  Taylor  tells  me,  that 
they  descended  by  lancL 


68 

tlid  you  not  tie  the  shoe  to  your  foot  ?  If  there 
had  been  awl,  arid  thread,  and  strings  at  com- 
mand, which  there  was  not,  for  the  causes 
ahove  stated,  one  dared  not  have  done  either, 
as  the  probable  consequences  would  ensue, 
"Death  by  hunger  in  a  dreary  wilderness." 
For  man  when  thrown  out  of  society  is  the  most 
helpless  of  God's  creatures.  Hence  you  may 
form  a  conception  of  the  intolerable  labour  of 
the  march.  Every  step  taken  the  heel  of  the 
foot  slipped  out  of  the  shoe :  to  recover  the  po- 
sition of  the  foot  in  the  shoe,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  stride,  wras  hard  labour,  and  exhausted 
my  strength  to  an  unbearable  degree.  You 
must  rememher  that  this  march  was  not  per- 
formed on  the  level  surface  of  the  parade,  but 
over  precipitous  hills,  deep  gullies,  and  even 
without  the  path  of  the  vagrant  savage  to  guide 
us.  Thus  we  proceeded  till  towards  mid-day, 
the  pale  and  meagre  looks  of  my  companions, 
tottering  on  their  feeble  limbs,  corresponding 
with  my  own.  My  friend  Simpson,  who  saw  my 
enfeebled  condition  and  the  cause,  prevailed 
with  the  men  to  rest  themselves  a  few  minutes. 
Bark,  the  only  succedaneum  for  twine,  or  leath- 
er, in  this  miserable  country,  was  immediately 
procured  and  the  shoe  bound  tightly  to  the  foot. 
Then  marching  hastily,  in  the  course  of  an  hour 
or  more,  we  came  within  view  of  a  tremendous 
cataract  in  the  river,  from  12  to  20  feet  high. 
The  horror  this  sight  gave  us,  fearing  for  the 
safety  of  our  friends  in  the  boats,  was  aggra- 
vated, when  turning  the  point  of  a  steep  cragg, 
we  met  those  very  friends,  having  lost  all  but 
their  lives,  sitting  around  a  lire  on  the  shore* 
Oh  God !  what  were  our  sensations !  Poor 
M'Cleland,  first  lieutenant  of  Hendrick's,  and 


69 

for  whose  accommodation  the  boat  was  most 
particularly  carried  across  the  mountain,  was 
lying  at  the  fire ;  he  beckoned  to  us — His  voice 
was  not  audible,  placing;  my  ear  close  to  his  lips, 
the  word  he  uttered  scarcely  articulate,  was, 
"  Farewell.'5  Simpson,  who  loved  him,  gave 
him  half  of  the  pittance  of  food  which  he  still 
possessed  ;  all  I  could  was — a  tear.  The  short, 
but  melancholy  story,  of  this  gentleman,  so  far 
as  it  has  come  to  my  knowledge,  may  be  de- 
tailed in  a  few  words.  He  had  resided  on  the 
Juniata  at  the  time  he  was  commissioned.  My 
knowledge  of  him  commenced  in  the  camp  near 
Boston.  He  was  endowed  with  ail  those  quali- 
ties which  win  the  affections  of  men.  Open, 
brave,  sincere,  and  a  lover  of  truth.  On  the 
66  Dead  river,"  the  variable  weather  brought  on 
a  cold  which  affected  his  lungs.  The  tenderness 
of  his  friends,  conducted  him  safely,  though 
much  reduced,  to  iiic  foot  of  the  mountain,  at 
the  head  of  the  "  Dead  river."  Hence  he  was 
borne  in  a  litter  across  the  mountain  by  men. 
If  you  had  seen  the  young,  yet  venerable  eapt* 
Hendricks,  bearing  his  share  of  this  loved 
and  patriotic  burthen,  across  the  plain  to  our 
camp,  it  would  have  raised  esteem,  if  not  affec- 
tion, towards  him.  From  our  camp,  M'Clelan-d 
was  transported,  in  the  boat,  to  the  place  where 
we  found  him.  The  crew,  conducting  the  boat, 
though  worthy  men  and  well  acquainted  with 
such  kind  of  navigation,  knew  nothing  of  this 
river.  They  descended,  unaware  of  the  pitch 
before  them,  until  they  had  got  nearly  into  the 
suck  of  the  falls.  Here,  luckily,  a  rock  pre- 
sented, on  which  it  was  so  contrived  as  to  cause 
the  boat  to  lodge.  Now  the  crew,  with  great 
labor  and  danger,  bore  their  unfortunate  lieut* 


70 

to  the  shore,  where  we  found  him.  We  passed 
on,  fearful  for  our  own  lives.  Coming  to  a  long 
sandy  beach  of  the  Chaudiere,  for  we  sometimes 
had  such :  some  men  of  our  company  were  ob- 
served to  dart  from  the  file,  and  with  their  nails, 
tear  out  of  the  sand,  roots  which  they  esteemed 
eatable,  and  ate  them  raw,  even  without  wash- 
ing. Languid  and  woe-begone,  as  your  father 
was,  it  could  not  but  create  a  smile,  to  observe 
the  whole  line  watching  with  "Argus  eyes,"  the 
motions  of  a  few  men,  who  knew  the  indications 
in  the  sand  of  those  roots.  The  knowing  one 
sprung,  half  a  dozen  followed,  he  who  grabbed 
it,  eat  the  root  instantly.  Though  hunger  urg- 
ed, it  was  far  from  me  to  contend  in  that  way 
with  powerful  men,  such  as  those  were.  Strokes 
often  occurred. 

During  this  day's  march,  (about  10  or  11,  A. 
M.)  my  shoe  having  given  away  again,  we  came 
to  a  lire,  where  were  some  of  captain  Tiiayer, 
or  Topham's  men.  Simpson  was  in  front,  trudg- 
ing after,  slipshod  and  tired,  I  sat  down  on  the 
end  of  a  long  log,  against  which  the  lire  was 
built,  absolutely  fainting  with  hunger  and  fa- 
tigue, my  gun  standing  between  my  knees.  Seat- 
ing myself,  that  very  act  gave  a  cast  to  the  ket- 
tle, which  was  placed  partly  against  the  log,  in 
such  a  way,  as  to  spill  two-thirds  of  its  con- 
tents. At  the  moment  a  large  man  sprung  to 
his  gun,  and  pointing  it  towards  me,  lie  threa- 
tened to  shoot.  It  created  no  fear;  his  life  was 
with  much  more  certainty  in  my  power.  Death 
would  have  been  a  welcome  visitor.  Simpson 
soon  made  us  friends.  Coming  to  their  £re, 
they  gave  me  a  cup  of  their  broth,  A  table 
spoonful,  was  all  that  was  tasted.  It  had  a 
greenish  hue,  and  was  said  to  be  that  of  a  bear* 


71 

This  was  instantly  known  to  be  untrue,  from 
the  taste  and  smell.  It  was  that  of  a  dog.  He 
was  a  large  black  Newfoundland  dog,  belong- 
ing to  Thayer,  and  very  fat.  We  left  these 
jnerry  fellows,  for  they  were  actually  such, 
maugre  all  their  wants,  and  marching  quick- 
ly, towards  evening  encamped :  We  had  a  good 
fire,  but  no  food.  To  me  the  world  had  lost 
its  charms.  Gladly  would  death  have  been 
received  as  an  auspicious  herald  from  the  Divi- 
nity. My  privations  in  every  way,  were  such 
as  to  produce  a  willingness  to  die.  Without 
food,  without  clothing,  to  keep  me  warm,  with- 
out money,  and  in  a  deep  and  devious  wilderness, 
the  idea  occurred,  and  the  means  were  in  my 
hands,  of  ending  existence.  The  God  of  all  good- 
ness inspired  other  thoughts.  One  principal  cause 
of  change  (under  the  fostering  hand  of  Provi- 
dence) in  my  sentiments,  was  the  jovial  hilarity 
of  my  friend  Simpson.  At  night,  warming  our 
bodies  at  an  immense  fire,  our  compatriots  join- 
ed promiscuously  around — to  animate  the  com- 
pany, he  would  sing  « Plato;"  his  sonorous 
voice  gave  spirit  to  my  heart,  and  the  morality 
of  the  song,  consolation  to  my  mind.  In  truth 
the  music,  though  not  so  correct  as  that  of  Han- 
del, added  strength  and  vigour  to  our  nerves. 
This  evening  it  was,  that  some  of  our  compan- 
ions, whose  stomachs  had  not  received  food,  for 
the  last  forty  eight  hours,  adopted  the  notion, 
that  leather,  though  it  had  been  manufactured, 
might  be  made  palatable  food,  and  would  grati- 
fy the  appetite.  Observing  their  discourse,  to 
me  the  experiment  became  a  matter  of  curiosi- 
ty. They  washed  their  mockasins  of  moose- 
skin,  in  the  first  place,  in  the  river,  scraping 
away  the  dirt  and  sand,  with  great  care.  These 


72 

were  brought  to  the  kettle  and  boiled  a  consider- 
able timey  under  the  vague,  but  consolatory  hope, 
that  a  mucilage  would  take  place.  The  boiling 
over,  the  poor  fellows  chewed  the  leather,  but 
it  was  leather  still :  not  to  be  macerated.  My 
teeth,  though  young  and^good,  succeeded  no  bet- 
ter. Disconsolate  and  weary,  we  passed  the 
Bight. 

November  3d.  We  arose  early,  hunger  im- 
pelling, and  marched  rapidly*  After  noon,  on 
a  point  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  some  one  pre- 
tended, he  descried  the  "first  house/'  ten  miles 
off.  Not  long  after  another  discerned  a  boat  com- 
ing towards  us,  and  turning  a  point  of  land — 
presently,  all  perceived  cattle  driving  up  the 
shore.  These  circumstances,  gave  occasion  to 
a  feeble  huzza  of  joy,  from  those  who  saw  these 
cheerful  and  enlivening  sights.  We  were  now 
treading  a  wide  and  stony  beach  of  the  river. 
Smith,  our  captain,  who  at  this  moment  hap- 
pened to  be  in  company,  elated  with  the  pros- 
pect of  a  supply  of  food,  in  the  joy  of  his  heart, 
perhaps  thoughtlessly,  said  to  me,  "take  this 
Henry.'9  It  was  gladly  received.  Opening  the 
paper,  which  had  been  neatly  folded,  there  ap- 
peared a  hand's  breadth  and  length  of  bacon-fat, 
of  an  inch  thick  5  thoughtlessly,  it  was  eaten 
greedily,  inattentive  to  all  former  rule,  and 
thanks  to  God,  did  me  no  harm.  Here  it  was 
that  for  the  first  time,  Aaron  Burr,  a  most 
amiable  youth  of  twenty,  came  to  my  view.  He 
then  was  a  cadet.  It  will  require  a  most  cogent 
evidence,  to  convince  my  mind,  that  he  ever 
intended  any  ill  to  his  country  of  late  years,  by 
his  various  speculations.  Though  differing  in 
political  opinion  from  him,  no  reason  has  as  yet 
fjeen  laid  before  me,  to  induce  a  belief,  that  he 


73 

was  traitorous  to  his  country.  However,  take 
this  as  the  wayward  ideas  of  a  person  totally 
excluded  from  a  knowledge  of  the  secrets  of 
the  cabinet;  who  was  somewhat  attentive  to  its 
operations,  so  far  as  newspaper  information  can 
elucidate. 

We  marched  as  hastily  as  our  wearied  and 
feeble  limbs  could  admit,  hoping  soon  to  share 
in  something  like  an  abysinian  feast.  The  cur- 
vatures of  the  river,  had  deceived  us  in  the  cal- 
culation of  distance.  It  was  many  hours  ere  wre 
came  to  the  place  of  slaughter.  We  found  a 
fire,  but  no  provision,  except  a  small  quantity 
of  oaten  meal,  resembling  in  grit,  our  chopped 
rye.  Simpson  warmed  some  of  this  in  water, 
and  ate  with  gout.  To  me  it  was  nauseous: 
this  may  have  been  owing  to  the  luncheon  from 
Smith's  hoard.  The  French  men  told  us,  that 
those  who  preceded,  had  devoured  the  very 
entrails  of  the  cattle.  One  of  the  eastern  men, 
as  we  came  to  the  lire,  was  gorging  the  last  bit 
of  the  colon,  half  rinsed — half  broiled.  It  may 
be  said,  he  ate  with  pleasure,  as  he  tore  it  as 
a  hungry  dog  would  tear  a  haunch  of  meat.  We 
soon  encamped  for  the  night,  cheered  by  the 
hope  of  succor. 

November  4th.  About  two  o'clock,  P.  M.  we 
arrived  at  a  large  stream  coining  from  the  east, 
which  we  ran  through,  though  more  than  mid- 
deep.  This  was  the  most  chilling  bath  we  had 
hitherto  received:  the  weather  was  raw  and  cold. 
It  was  the  17th,  and  the  harshest  of  my  birth- 
days. Within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the 
viver,  stood  the  "first  house55  in  Canada:  we 
approached  it  in  extacy,  sure  of  being  relieved 
from  death,  by  the  means  of  famine.  Many  of 
our  compatriots  were  unaware  of  that  death. 
G 


74 

which  arises  from  sudden  repletion.  The  active 
spirit  of  Arnold,  with  such  able  assistants  as 
John  M.  Taylor  and  Steele,  had  laid  in  a  great 
stock  of  provisions.  The  men  were  furious,  vo- 
raeious,  and  insatiable.  Three  starvations  had 
taught  me  wisdom.  My  friends  took  my  advice. 
But,  notwithstanding  the  irrefragable  arguments 
the  officers  used  to  insure  moderation,  the  men 
were  outrageous  upon  the  subject,  they  had  no 
comprehension  of  such  reasoning.  A  Pennsylva- 
nian  German  of  our  company,  a  good  and  order- 
ly soldier,  who,  from  my  affection  towards  him, 
I  watched  like  another  doctor  Pedro  Positive;  yet 
all  representation  and  reasoning  on  my  part,  had 
no  influence.  Boiled  beef,  hot  bread,  potatoes, 
boiled  and  roasted,  were  gormandized  without 
stint.  He  seemed  to  defy  death,  for  the  mere  en- 
joypient  of  present  gratification,  and  died  two  days 
after.  Many  of  the  men  sickened.  If  not  much 
mistaken,  we  lost  three  of  our  company,  by 
their  imprudence  on  this  occasion.  The  imme- 
diate extension  of  the  stomach  by  food,  after  a 
lengthy  last,  operates  a  more  sudden  extinction 
of  life,  than  the  total  absence  of  aliment.  At 
this  place,  we,  for  the  first  time,  had  the  plea- 
sure of  seeing  the  worthy  and  respectable  Indian, 
JVatanis,  and  his  brother  Sabatis,  with  some 
others  of  their  tribe,  (the  Abenaquis.)  Lieu- 
tenant Steele  told  us,  that  when  he  first  arrived; 
Natanis  came  to  him,  in  an  abrupt  but  friend- 
ly manner,  and  gave  him  a  cordial  shake  by 
the  hand,  intimating  a  previous  personal  know- 
ledge of  him.  When  we  came,  he  approached 
Cunningham,  Boyd,  and  myself,  and  shook  hands 
in  the  way  of  an  old  acquaintance.  We  now 
learned  from  him,  that  on  the  evening  when  we 
first  encamped  on  the  "Dead-river,'5  (Septein 


75 

ber  29th)  in  our  first  ascension,  he  lay  within 
view  of  our  camp,  and  so  continued  daily  and 
nightly  to  attend  our  voyage,  until  the  path 
presented,  which  led  directly  into  Canada.  This 
he  took;  to  the  question,  "Why  did  you  not 
speak  to  your  friends?  He  readily  answered,  and 
truly,  "  You  would  have  killed  me."  This  was 
most  likely,  as  our  prejudices  againt  him  had 
been  most  strongly  excited,  and  we  had  no  limit 
In  our  orders,  as  to  this  devoted  person.  He, 
bis  brother  Sahatis,  and  seventeen  other  Indians, 
the  nephews  and  friends  of  Natanis,  marched 
with  us  to  Quebec.  In  the  attack  of  that  place, 
on  the  morning  of  the  first  of  January  following, 
IVatanis,  received  a  musquet  hall  through  his 
wrist.  He  adopted  a  ehirurgery,  which  seemed 
extraordinary,  at  the  time,  and  quite  new,  but 
which  now  seems  to  me,  to  be  that  of  nature 
itself.  He  drew  a  pledget  of  linnen  quite  through 
the  wound,  the  ends  of  which,  hung  down  on 
each  side  of  the  arm.  He  was  taken  prisoner, 
but  general  Carleton  discharged  him  immediat- 
ly  with  strong  tokens  of  commiseration.  This 
is.  the  first  instance  in  the  course  of  our  revolu- 
tionary war,  of  the  employment  of  Indians  in 
actual  warfare  against  our  enemies.  To  be  sure 
it  was  the  act  of  a  junior  commander,  unwar- 
ranted, so  far  as  has  conic  to  my  knowledge, 
by  the  orders  of  his  superiors;  yet  it  seemed  to 
authorize,  in  a  small  degree,  upon  the  part  of 
our  opponents,  that  horrible  system  of  aggres- 
sion, which  in  a  short  time  ensued,  and  aston- 
ished and  disgusted  the  civilized  world. 

Nov.  5th.  Hunger,  which  neither  knows  go- 
vernance or  restraint,  being  now  gratified,  we 
turned  our  attention  towards  our  friends,  who 
were  still  in  the  wilderness.  Smith  and  Simpson, 


76 

.(for  recollection  does  not  serve  to  say  how  iny 
friends  Hendrieks  and  Nichols  were  employed, 
but  it  was  certainly  in  doing  good,)  always  active, 
procured  two  young  Indians,  nephews  of  Nata- 
nis,  «  Sweet  fellows,"  (as  Simpson  called  them,) 
to  proceed  on  the  following  morning  to  the  great 
fall,  for  the  person  of  the  invaluable  M*Cle- 
lancl.  Before  we  started,  it  gave  me  pleasure  to 
see  these  youths,  excited  by  the  reward  obtain- 
ed, pushing  their  birch-bark  canoe  against  the 
strict  current  of  the  river.  It  seemed  like  an 
egg-shell  to  bound  over  the  surface  of  the  waves 
of  every  opposing  ripple.  To  end  at  once  this 
dolorous  part  of  our  story;  the  young  men,  in 
despite  of  every  impediment  from  the  waters, 
and  the  solicitations  of  the  starved  wanderers 
in  the  rear,  for  food,  hurried  on  to  the  fall,  and 
on  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  brought  our 
dying  friend  to  the  "  first  house."  The  follow- 
ing day  he  died,  and  his  corpse  received  a  due 
respect  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  vicinage. 
We  were  informed  of  this  a  month  after.  This 
real  Catholicism  towards  the  remains  of  one  we 
loved,  made  a  deep  and  wide  breach  upon 
my  early  prejudices,  which  since  that  period  has 
caused  no  regret ;  but  has  induced  a  more  ex- 
tended and  paternal  view  of  mankind,  unbound- 
ed by  sect  or  opinion. 

The  morning  of  the  Clh  Nov.  we  marched  in 
straggling  parties,  through  a  Hat  and  rich  coun- 
try, sprinided,  it  might  be  said,  decorated,  by 
many  low  houses,  all  while  washed,  which  ap- 
peared to  be  the  warm  abodes  of  a  contented 
people.  Every  now  and  then,  a  chapel  came  in 
sight ;  but  more  frequently  the  rude,  but  pious 
imitations  of  the  sufferings  of  our  Saviour,  anil 
the  image  of  the  virgin.  These  things  created 


77 

surprize,  at  least,  in  my  mind,  for  Avhere  I 
thought  there  could  be  little  other  than  barbar- 
ity, we  found  civilized  men,  in  a  comfortable 
state,  enjoying  all  the  benefits  arising  from  the 
institutions  of  civil  society.  The  river,  along 
which  the  road  ran,  in  this  days  march,  became 
in  the  most  part  our  guide.  It  now  flowed  in  a 
deep  and  almost  sightless  current;  where  my 
Opportunities  gave  me  a  view.  Our  abstemious- 
ness was  still  adhered  to.  About  noon  of  the 
next  day,  we  arrived  at  the  quarters  of  Arnold, 
a  station  he  had  taken  for  the  purpose  of  halt- 
ing and  embodying,  the  whole  of  our  emaciated 
and  straggling  troops.  We  were  now  perhaps 
thirty  miles  from  point  Levi ;  which  is  on  the 
St.  Lawrence,  and  nearly  opposite  to  Quebec. 
Now  our  mess  had  "friends  at  court."  Arnold, 
since  we  left  the  "  twelve-mile-carrying  place,'* 
the  last  time,  had,  deservedly,  taken  Steele  as  a 
guide,  into  his  mess  ;  and  he  had  become  a  kind 
of  aid-de-camp—he  was,  to  say  no  more,  a  con- 
fidential man.  John  M.  Taylor,  keen  and  bold 
as  an  Irish  grey- hound,  was  of  our  company, 
being  a  ready  penman  and  excellent  accountant : 
He  was  at  once  exalted,  by  the  shrewd  and  dis 
kerning  eye  of  Arnold,  to  the  offices  of  purveyor 
and  commissary.  We  had  no  distinctions  of  of- 
fice, scarcely  any  of  rank,  in  those  days.  Our 
squad,  in  consequence,  eame  boldly  up  to  head- 
quarters, though  we  came  not  now  into  their  pre- 
sence. Steele,  who  was  in  waiting,  pointed  to 
the  slaughter-house,  a  hundred  yards  distant. 
Thither  we  went,  determined  to  indulge.  Here 
we  found  our  friend  Taylor,  worried  almost  to 
death,  in  dealing  out  the  sustenance  of  life  to 
others.  Without  hyperbole  or  circumlocution, 
he  gave  us  as  many  pounds  of  beef-stakes  as  we 
G  2 


78 

chose  to  carry.  Proceeding  to  the  next  house, 
a  mile  below,  some  one  of  the  party  became 
cook.  Good  bread  and  potatoes,  with  the  ac- 
companymerit  of  beef  stake,  produced  a  savory 
meal.  Believing  myself  out  of  danger  from 
any  extraordinary  indulgence  of  appetite,  the 
due  quantity  was  exceeded,  and  yet,  believe  me, 
it  was  not  more  than  an  anchorite  might  reli- 
giously take.  We  soon  became  sensible  of  this 
&et  of  imprudence.  The  march  of  the  after- 
noon was  a  dull  and  heavy  one.  A  fever  attack- 
ed me.  I  became,  according  to  my  feelings,  the 
most  miserable  of  human  beings.  Determined 
not  to  lag  behind,  my  eyes,  at  times,  could 
scarcely  discern  the  way,  nor  my  legs  do  their 
office.  We  did  not  march  far  this  afternoon. 
Jn  this  high  latitude,  a  winter's  day  is  very 
short  and  fleeting.  The  evening  brought  me 
no  comfort,  though  we  slept  warmly  in  a  farm 
house. 

November  7th. — The  army  now  formed  into 
more  regular  and  compact  order,  in  the  morn- 
ing pretty  early,  we  proceeded.  About  noon 
my  disorder  had  increased  so  intolerably,  that  I 
could  not  put  a  foot  forward.  Seating  myself 
upon  a  log  at  the  way  side,  the  troops  passed  on. 
In  the  rear  cume  Arnold  on  horseback.  He 
kne\v  my  name  and  character,  and,  good  natu- 
redly,  inquired  after  my  health.  Being  inform- 
ed, he  dismounted,  ran  down  to  the  river  side, 
and  hailed  the  owner  of  the  house,  which  stood 
opposite  across  the  water.  The  good  Canadian 
in  his  canoe,  quickly  arrived.  Depositing  my  gun. 
and  accoutrements  in  the  hands  of  one  of  our 
men,  who  attended  upon  me,  and  kad  been  dis- 
armed by  losing  his  rifle  in  some  one  of  the 
wreckings  above,  and  Arnold  putting  two  silver 


9 


79 

dollars  into  my  hands,  the  Frenchman  carried 
me  to  his  house.  Going  to  bed  with  a  high  fever 
upon  me,  I  lay  all  this  and  the  following  day 
without  tasting  food.  That  had  been  the  cause 
of  the  disease,  its  absence  became  the  cure. 

The  morning  of  the  third  day,  (10th  Nov.) 
brought  me  health.  The  mistress  of  the  house, 
who  had  been  very  attentive  and  kind,  asked 
ine  to  breakfast.  This  humble,  but  generous 
meal,  consisted  of  a  bowl  of  milk,  for  the  guest, 
with  excellent  bread.  The  fare  of  the  family 
was  this  same  bread,  garlic,  and  salt — I  had  ob- 
served, that  this  was  the  usual  morning's  diet, 
for  I  lay  in  the  stove-room,  where  the  family 
ate  and  slept.  This  worthy  family  was  compos- 
ed of  fseven  persons;  the  parents  in  the  prime 
of  life,  and  five  charming  ruddy  children,  all 
neatly  and  warmly  clothed  in  woolen,  apparent- 
ly of  their  own  manufactory.  You  might  sup- 
pose, from  the  manner  of  their  living,  that  these 
persons  were  poor.  No  such  thing.  They  were 
Sri  good  circumstances.  Their  house,  barn,  sta- 
bling, &c.  were  warm  and  comfortable,  and 
their  diet  such  as  is  universal  among  the  French 
peasantry  of  Canada.  Proffering  my  two  dol- 
lars to  this  honest  man,  he  rejected  them  with 
something  like  disdain  in  his  countenance,  inti- 
mating to  me  that  he  had  merely  obeyed  the  dic- 
tates of  religion  and  humanity.  Tears  filled 
my  eyes  when  I  took  my  leave  of  these  amiable 
people.  But  they  had  not  even  yet  done  enough 
for  me.  The  father  insisted  on  attending  me 
to  the  ferry  some  miles  off,  where  the  river 
takes  a  turn  almost  due  north,  to  meet  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Here  my  worthy  host  procured  me 
a  passage  scott-free,  observing  to  me  my  money 
might  be  required  before  the  army  could  be 


80 

overtaken.  Landing  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
river,  the  way  could  not  he  mistaken,  the  track 
of  the  army  had  strongly  marked  the  route. 
To  me  it  was  a  most  gloomy  and  solitary  march. 
Not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen  in  the  course  of  ten 
miles.  Being  without  arms,  and  in  an  unknown 
country,  my  inconsequence,  and  futileness  lay 
heavy  on  my  spirits.  Here  and  there  was  a 
farm-house,  but  the  inhabitants  were  either 
closely  housed  or  absent  from  their  homes.  Af- 
ternoon, arriving  at  the  quarters  of  our  com- 
pany, my  gun  and  accoutrements  were  reclaim- 
ed with  ardour,  and  a  solemn  resolution  never 
to  part  with  them  again,  unless  it  happened  by 
the  compulsion  of  the  foe.  The  house,  which 
the  company  possessed,  lay  some  hundreds  of 
paces  from  head-quarters,  but  within  view. 
Morgan's  quarters  were  nearer.  Where  llen- 
dricks  made  his  lodgment  is  not  now  recollected, 
but  it  was  at  no  great  distance. 

On  the  following  day,  (Nov.  llth,)  our  guns 
in  order,  a  scene  opened,  which  then  and  now 
seems  to  me  to  have  exhibited  us  in  a  disrepu- 
table point  of  view  :  it  evinced,  at  least,  the 
necessity  of  a  staid  and  sober  conduct  of  the  of- 
ficer, as  well  as  a  strict  subordination  and  obe- 
dience of  the  private.  A  hurried  and  boister- 
ous report,  came  from  head-quarters,  that  the 
British  were  landing  to  our  left  at  a  mill,  about 
a  mile  off.  Each  one  grasped  his  arms.  Mor* 
gan  and  the  Indians,  who  lay  nearest  to  the 
commander's  quarters,  were  foremost.  The 
running  was  severe.  The  lagging  Indians,  and 
a  variety  of  the  three  companies  were  inter- 
mingled. Coming  to  the  brow  of  the  precipice, 
but  still  unseen,  we  perceived  a  boat  landing, 
\vhich  came  from  a  frigate  laying  in  the  stream*. 


81 

a  mile  below.  The  boat  came  ashore.  A  youth 
sprung  from  it :  The  tide  ebbing,  the  boatswain 
thought  it  better  to  obtain  a  deeper  landing- 
plase,  nearer  the  mill,  and  drew  off.  Morgan, 
apprehensive  of  a  discovery  of  our  presence, 
fired  at  the  boat's  crew,  A  volley  ensued  with- 
out harm,  probably  because  of  the  great  space 
between  us.  They  pulled  off  shore,  until  be- 
yond the  range  of  our  guns,  leaving  the  mid- 
shipman to  our  mercy.  The  hapless  youth,  con- 
founded, unknowing  what  to  do,  plunged  into 
the  river,  hoping  to  regain  his  boat.  His  friends 
(lying  from  him, — he  waded,  he  swam,  yet  could 
not  reach  the  boat.  At  the  distance,  perhaps,  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  nothing  but  his 
head  above  water,  a  shooting-match  took  place, 
and  believe  me,  the  balls  of  Morgan,  Simpson, 
Humphreys,  and  others,  played  around,  and 
within  a  few  inches  of  his  head.  Even  after  a 
lapse  of  thirty  years,  it  gives  me  pain  to  recol- 
lect, that  my  gun  was  discharged  at  him.  Such, 
however,  was  the  savage  ferocity  engendered, 
in  those  ungracious  times,  by  a  devolution  of 
the  ministry  of  the  mother-country,  from  the 
true  line  of  conduct  towards  her  colonies. 

M'Kensie,  (the  name  of  the  young  man,)  see- 
ing that  his  boat's  crew  had  deserted  him,  show- 
ed a  desire  to  surrender,  by  approaching  the 
shore.  The  firing  ceased.  But  a  still  more 
disgusting  occurrence  than  the  preceding,  fol- 
lowed. The  Iad9  coming  towards  the  shore, 
evidently  intending  to  submit,  Sabatis,  the  In- 
dian, the  brother  of  Natanis,  sprung  forward, 
scalping  knife  in  hand,  seemingly  intending  to 
end  the  strife  at  a  single  blow.  The  humanity 
of  Morgan  and  Humphreys,  towards  a  succum- 
bent  foe,  was  excited.  One  or  the  other  of 


82 

them,  it  is  not  now  recollected  which,  in  particu- 
lar, by  his  agility  and  amazing  powers  of  body, 
was  enabled  to  precede  the  Indian  by  several  yards. 
This  contest  of  athleticism  was  observed  from 
the  shore,  where  we  were,  with  great  interest, 
Morgan  brought  the  boy  (for  he  was  really 
such,)  to  land,  and  afterwards  esteemed  him, 
for  he  merited  the  good  will  of  a  hero  :  Wet 
and  hungry,  we  returned  to  quarters.  Running 
along  the  shore  with  our  prey,  the  Hunter  sloop 
of  war,  having  warped  up  for  the  purpose,  pelted 
us  all  the  way  with  ball  and  grape  shot.  It  was 
no  easy  matter  to  ascend  the  bank,  which  was 
steep  and  craggy.  Our  prisoner  was  prudently 
loquacious,  and  very  genteel.  He  had  left  the 
sloop,  of  which  he  was  a  midshipman,  upon 
command,  to  procure  spars  and  oars,  which  lay 
in  the  mill.  He  had  ordered  oif  the  boat  to  pro- 
cure a  better  landing*  when  our  imprudent  iire 
drove  his  people  from  him.  He  was  the  brother 
of  captain  M'Kensie"  of  the  Pearl  frigate.  In 
1777,  the  young  M'Kensie  was  again  taken.  I 
saw  him  at  Lancaster,  (Pennsylvania,)  active, 
lively,  and  facetious  as  ever.  During  our  stay 
at  point  Levi,  Colonol  Arnold  was  busily  engag- 
ed. Being  now  discovered,  it  became  us  to 
pass  the  St.  Lawrence  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
main  difficulty  consisted  in  the  procurement  of 
boats  or  canoes.  Those  kinds  of  craft  on  this 
part  of  the  river,  had  previously  to  our  arrival, 
been  secured  by  the  vigilance  of  government, 
which  it  is  likely  had  some  intimation  of  an  in- 
road in  the  direction  we  came.  Twenty-five 
canoes,  chiefly  of  birch  bark,  were  with  diffi- 
culty procured.  The  command  of  these  was 
conferred  upon  lieutenant  Steele,  who  selected 
the  steersmen,  of  whom  it  came  to  me  to  be 


83 

one.  The  passage,  if  practicable,  must  be  made 
in  the  night,  and  that  in  the  most  silant  man- 
ner, at  a  time  the  tide  served. 

Between  the  hours  of  10  and  11  o'clock,  on 
the  night  of  the  13th  of  November,  the  troops 
paraded  on  the  beach,  near  the  mill  before 
mentioned,  without  noise  or  bustle.  One  cargo 
\vas  despatched — then  a  second:  upon  making 
the  traverse  a  third  time,  an  accident  happened 
to  my  friend  Steele,  which  you  can  scarcely  cre- 
dit. Being  at  a  considerable  distance  behind  with 
his  canoe,  I  could  not,  at  its  occurring,  observe 
the  transaction,  nor  share  in  the  danger,  though 
my  life  would  have  been  willingly  risked  for  his, 
and  yet  the  relation  of  this  fact,  is  most  unques- 
tionably true.  These  frequent  asseverations, 
may  appear  somewhat  awkward,  and  to  blur 
the  detail  of  our  story ;  but  our  sufferings  were 
so  extraordinary  in  their  kinds,  and  so  aggravat- 
ed by  the  nature  of  the  severe  services  we  un- 
derwent, that  now-a-days  it  will  require  a  faith 
almost  approaching  to  credulity,  to  convince 
ihe  mind  of  their  truth.  Steele  steered  a  birch- 
bark  canoe,  the  weight,  and  it  is  likely  the 
awkwardness  of  the  men,  when  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  (which  at  this  place  is  fully 
two  miles  wide,)  burst  the  canoe.  The  men 
who  were  in  it,  swam  to,  or  were  taken  up,  by 
the  canoes  nearest  to  them.  It  was  otherwise 
with  Steele.  He  was  the  last  to  get  to  a  canoe 
under  the  management  of  the  worthy  Wheeler : 
but  it  was  full  of  men.  There  could  be  no  ad- 
mittance. The  steersman  advised,  and  Steele 
was  compelled  from  necessity,  to  throw  his  arms 
over  the  stern— Wheeler,  seating  himself  upon 
them,  so  as  to  hold  him  securely,  for  it  was  a 
Weak  and  numbing  night.  Thus,  in  this  man- 


84 

aer  was  this  worthy  and  adventurous  officer, 
floated  to  the  shore  at  Wolf's  eove.  Here  there 
was  an  uninhabited  house.  A  fire  had  been  light- 
ed in  it,  by  some  of  our  people,  who  first  land- 
ed. It  became  a  pole-star  to  us  in  the  rear,  \ve 
steered  for  it.  Landing  about  half  an  hour  af- 
ter Steele,  we  found  him  at  the  fire,  seemiiigly 
chilled  to  the  heart ;  but  he  was  a  man  not  to 
be  dis-spirited  by  slight  matters.  Friction  soon 
restored  him  to  his  usual  animation.  The  moon, 
now  about  three  o'clock,  shone  brightly,  aixi  the 
tide  run  out  rapidly,  so  that  the  passing  of  the 
rest  of  the  troops,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
in  number,  this  night,  was  given  up.  This  cir- 
cumstance, of  the  absence  of  so  large  a  part  of 
our  force,  was  known  but  to  few.  They  joined 
us  on  the  following  night.  It  had  been  the  in- 
tention of  our  chief,  to  storm  the  town  this 
night;  but  the  deficiency  of  our  scaling  ladders, 
many  of  which  were  left  beyond  the  river,  now 
repressed  that  design. 

November  l*th.  The  troops  easily  ascended 
the  tsill,  by  a  good  road  cut  in  it  slantingly. 
This  \vas  not  the  case  in  1759,  when  the  im- 
mortal Wolf  mounted  here,  it  was  then  a  steep 
declivity,  enfiladed  by  a  host  of  savages,  but  was 
surmounted  by  the  eager  and  gallant  spirit  of 
our  nation. 

November  15th.  Arriving  on  the  brow  of  the 
precipice,  we  found  ourselves  on  the  plains  of 
Abraham,  so  deservedly  famous  in  story.  The 
morning  was  cold,  and  we  were  thinly  clad. 
While  an  adventurous  party  despatched  by  Ar- 
nold, under  the  command  of  one  of  Morgan's 
lieutenants,  were  examining  the  walls  of  the 
city,  we  were  pacing  the  Plains  to  and  fro,  in 
silence,  to  keep  ourselves  warm.  The  winter 


85 

had  set  in — a  cold  northwester  blew,  with  un- 
common keenness.      By  the  time  the  reconoit- 
ring  party  returned,  daylight  was  not  very  dis- 
tant.      The   party  found  every  thing  towards 
the  city,  in  a  state  of  perfect  quietness.      This 
report  was  delivered)  in  my  presence,  to  Morgan, 
however,  the  country  may  have  heen  represent- 
ed  since.     Not  even  the  cry  of  "  All's  well,'9 
was  uttered,   was  a  part  of  their  report,  yet  we 
heard   that  cry  from  the  walls,  even  where  we 
were;  but  this  in  a  direct  line,   was  nearer  to 
us  than  the  voices  opposite  to  the  party.     This 
was  the  happy  moment,  but  with  our  small  and 
disjointed  force,    what  could  be  done?    There 
was  scarcely  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men,    willing  and  determined  to  be  sure,    but 
too  few  to  assail  a  fortress  such  as  Quebec  is. 
If  that  had  been  known   this  night,  which  was 
evidenced  in  a  few  days  by  the  fugitives  from  the 
city,  Arnold  would  most  assuredly  have  hazard- 
ed an  attack.     St.  John's  gate,  which  opens  on 
Abraham's  plains,  and  is  a  most  important  sta- 
tion, was  unbarred,  nay,  unclosed :  nothing  but, 
a  single   cannon  under  the   care   of  a  drowsy 
watch,    was   there  as  a  defence;  we  were  not 
a  mile  distant,  and  might  have  entered  unknown, 
and  even  unseen.     These  are  uncertain  opinions, 
resting  on   the  vague  reports   of  the  moment* 
which  might  have  been  true,  or  untrue.      My 
memory  is,  however,  fresh  in  the  recollection 
of  the  heart-burnings  this  failure  caused  among 
us.       Providence,    for   wise    purposes,    would 
have  it   otherwise.      Near  daylight,    requiring 
rest  and  refreshment,  the  troops  moved  a  mile, 
to  a  farm-house  of  Lieutenant  Governor  Cald- 
well's.     This  was  a  great  pile  of  wooden  build- 
ings, with  numerous  outhouses,  which  testified 
II 


86 


the  agricultural  spirit  and  taste  ot  the  owner. 
He,  good  soul,  was  then  snug  in  Quebec.   Those 
Who  came  first,  fared  well,  and  as  luck  would 
have  it,  we  were  of  the  number:  all  within  and 
without  the  house,  became  a  prey.     Adversity 
bad  destroyed  in  our  minds,  every  decorous  or 
delicate  sensation.     Guards  were  stationed  next 
the  citv.      Wrapped  in  my  blanket,  fearless  of 
events,  "casting  my  person  on  the  floor  of  an  ele- 
gant parlour,  I  slept  sweetly  and  soundly,  till 
two  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  was  roused  sole- 
ly by  a  cry,    that  the  enemy  was  advancing. 
We  flew  to  arms,  and  rather  in  a  hurried  man- 
ner, run  towards  the  city,    which  was  nearly 
two  miles  from  us.  We  saw  no  enemy.  It  turned 
out  that  a  Mr.  Ogden,  a  cadet  from  Jersey,  a 
larze  and  handsome  young  man,  in  favor  with 
Arnold,  had  been  authorized  to  place  the  sentin- 
els that  day.  He  did  place  them,  most  stupidly. 
George  Merchant,  of  Morgan's,  a  man  who  would 
at  any  time,    give  him  fairplay,  have  sold  bis 
life  dearly,    he   stationed  in  a  thicket,  within 
view  of  the  enemy  ;  at  the  time  of  placing  him, 
when  at  his  post,  be  was  out  of  sight  of  the  gar- 
rison :    but  the  mischief  was,  (though  lie  eouM 
not  be  seen,)  lie  could  see  no  one  approach;  he 
was  taken  absolutely  unaware  ot  danger.      A 
sergeant  of  the  "seventh,"  who,  from  the  man- 
ner  of  the  thing,  must  have  been  clever,  accom- 
panied by  a  few  privates,  slily  creeping  through 
the  streets  of  the  suburbs  of  St.  John,  and  then 
under  the  cover  of  the  bushes,  sprung  upon  the 
devoted  Merchant,  even  before  he  had  time  to 
cock  his  rifle.     Merchant  was*  a  tall  and  hand- 
some Virginian.      In  a  few  days,  he,  hunting- 
shirt  and 'ail,  were  sent  to  England,  probably 
as  a  finished  specimen  of  the  riflemen  of  the 


87 

lonies.      The  government  there  very  liberally, 
sent  him  home  in*the  following  year. 

The  capture  of  Merchant  grieved  us,  anil 
brought  us  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  ci- 
ty. Arnold  had  the  boldness,  you  might  say  the 
audacity,  or  still  more  correctly,  the  folly,  to 
draw  us  up  in  a  line,  in  front  and  opposite  to 
the  wall  of  the  city.  The  parapet  was  lined  by 
hundreds  of  gaping  citizens  and  soldiers,  whom 
our  guns  could  not  harm,  because  of  the  dis- 
tance. They  gave  us  a  huzza!  We  returned  it. 
and  remained  a  considerable  time  huzzaing,  and 
spending  our  powder  against  the  walls,  for  we 
harmed  no  one.  Some  of  our  men  to  the  right, 
under  the  cover  of  something  like  ancient  ditch- 
es and  hillocks,  crept  forward  within  two  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  works,  but  their  firing  was 
disregarded  by  the  enemy  as  farcical.  Febiger, 
who  was -a  real  and  well  instructed  soldier,  and 
engineer,  did  advance  singly  within  a  hundred 
paces,  and  pored  with  the  eye  of  an  adept.  Bur- 
ing  all  this,  as  my  station  in  the  line  happened 
to  be  on  a  mound,  a  few  feet  higher  than  the 
common  level  of  the  plain,  it  was  perceptible 
through  the  embrasures  that  there  was  a  vast 
bustle  within.  In  some  minutes  a  thirty-six 
pounder  was  let  loose  upon  us,-  but  so  iJl  wras  the 
gun  pointed,  that  the  ball  fell  short,  or  passed 
high  over  our  heads.  Another,  and  another  suc- 
ceeded— to  these  salutes,  we  gave  them  all  we 
could,  another  and  another  huzza.  It  must  be 
confessed,  that  this  ridiculous  affair,  gave  me  a 
contemptible  opinion  of  Arnold.  This  notion 
was  by  no  means  singular.  Morgan,  Febiger 
and  other  officers,  who  had  seen  service,  did 
not  hesitate  to  speak  of  it  in  that  point  of  view* 
However,  Arnold  had  a  vain  desire  to  gratify. 


88 

of  which  we  were  then  ignorant.     He  was  well 
known  at  Quebec.      Formerly^   he  had  traded 
from  this  port  to  the  West  Indies,  most  par- 
ticularly in  the  article  of  horses.     Hence,    he 
was  despised  by  the  principal  people.     The  epi- 
thet  "Horsejoekey,"    was  freely   and  univers- 
ally bestowed  upon  him,  by  the  British.     Hav- 
ing now  obtained  power,    he  became    anxious 
to  display  it  in  the  faces  of  those,   who  had  for- 
merly despised  and  contemned  him.    The  vener- 
able Carleton,    an  Irishman   of  a  most  amiable 
and  mild  character,  colonel  Maclean,  a  Scotch- 
man,   old  in  warfare,   would  not,   in  any  shape, 
communicate  with  him.      If  Montgomery   had 
originally  been  our  commander,  matters  might 
have  been  more  civilly  conducted.     This  parti- 
cularity in  relating  a  most  trivial  and  disgust- 
ing occurrence,    arises  from  a  desire,  to  set  be- 
fore you,    a  coutionary  rule,    which  it  will  be 
prudent  for  you  to   observe  in  your  historical 
reading.      "Do   not   believe   an  author,   unless 
"  the  story  he  relates  be  probable,  accompanied 
«  by   such   circumstances  as  might  reasonably 
«  attend  the  transaction,  unless  he  is  eorrobo- 
6i  rated  by  others,  who  speak  on  that  subject.'5 
Many  of  our  wisest  men,    within  the   colonies, 
wrote  and  spoke  of  this   bravading,   as   a  mat- 
ter of  moment,   and  with  much  applause.    Even 
some  of  our   historians,    (Gordon)   have   given 
It    celebrity.      But    a    more    silly    and   boast- 
ful  British  historian,  (Amwell)  says  there  was 
a  dreadful  cannonade,    by  which  many   of  the 
rebels  were  destroyed.     The  truth  is,  that  this 
day  not  a  drop  of  blood  was  shed,  but  that  of 
Governor   Caldweli's   horned   cattle,    hogs  and 
poultry,    which  run  plentifully.     After  this  vic- 
tory in  huzzaing,    which  was  boys'  play,    and 


89 

suited  me  to  a  hair,  we  returned  to  quarters  to 
partake  of  the  good  things  of  this  world. 

The  next  day,  (Nov.  15th,)  a  scene  of  a  dif- 
ferent kind  opened,  which  let  us  into  the  true 
chararter  of  Arnold*  In  the  wilderness,  the 
men  had  been  stinted  to  a  pint  of  flour  by  the 
day.  This  scanty  allowance  of  flour  had  been 
continued  since  we  had  come  into  this  plentiful 
country.  Morgan,  Hendricks  and  Smith,  wait- 
ed upon  the  commander  in  chief,  to  represent 
the  grievance  and  obtain  redress.  Altercation 
and  warm  language  took  place.  Smith,  with 
his  usual  loquacity,  told  us,  that  Morgan  seem- 
ed, at  one  time,  upon  the  point  of  striking  Ar- 
nold. We  fared  the  better  for  this  interview. 

On  the  following  day,  (Nov.  16th,)  the  rifie- 
eompanies  removed  further  from  the  city. 
About  half  a  mile  from  Caldwell's  house,  our 
company  obtained  excellent  quarters,  in  the 
house  of  a  French  gentleman,  who  seemed 
wealthy.  He  was  pleasing  in  his  manners,  but 
the  rudeness  our  ungovernable  men  exhibited* 
created  in  him  an  apparent  disgust  towards  us. 
Here  we  remained  near  a  week.  During  that 
time,  we  had  constant  and  severe  duty  to  per- 
form. There  was  a  large  building  on  the  low 
grounds,  near  the  river  St.  Charles,  which  was 
occupied  by  a  most  respectable  society  of  ladies 
as  a  nunnery.  In  the  front  of  this  house,  at 
the  distance  of  fifty  yards,  there  was  a  spacious 
log  building,  which  seemed  to  be  a  school  house, 
occupied  by  the  priesthood  attendant  on  the  nun- 
nery. This  house  ,we  took  possession  of,,  as  a 
guard-house,  under  an  idea,  as  it  stood  directly 
between  the  town  and  the  nunnery,  which  contain- 
ed some  precious  deposits,  that  they  had  not  had 


time  to  remove,  that  the  enemy  would  not  fire 
in  this  direction.     The  conjecture  was  just. 

Nov.  16th.—  In  the  afternoon  a  distressing  oc- 
currence took  place  here,  notwithstanding  our 
Vicinity  to  this  holy  place.     Towards  the  even- 
ing  the  guard  was    relieved.     Lieut.  Simpson 
commanded  it.     This  guard  was  composed  of 
two-and-twenty   tine  fellows,  of  our  company. 
When  the  relief-guard  came,  a  Frenchman,  of 
a  most  villainous  appearance,  both  as  to  person 
and  visage,  came  to  our  lieutenant,  with  a  writ- 
ten order  from  collonel  Arnold,    commanding 
Mm  to  accompany   the  bearer,    who  would   be 
our  guide  across  the  river  St.  Charles,  to  obtain 
some  cattle  feeding  beyond  it,  on  the  account  of 
government.     The  order,  in  the  first  instance, 
because  of  its  preposterousness,  \vas  doubted, 
feut,  upon   a  little  reflection,   obeyed.     Knowing 
the  danger,  our  worthy   lieutenant   also  knew, 
the  best  and  only  means  of  executing  the  enter- 
prize.     The  call  "  come  on  lads,"  was  uttered. 
We  ran  with  speed  from  the  guard-house  some 
hundreds  of  yards,  over  the  plain  to  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Charles,  where  the  ferry  is.     IS7  ear 
the  ferry  there  was  a  lar^e  wind-mill*  and  near 
it  stood  a  small  house   resembling    a    Cooper's 
shop.     Two  carts  of  a  large  size,  were  passing 
the  ferry  heavily  laden  with  the  houshold-  stuff, 
and  women  and  children  of  the  townsmen  flying 
from  the   suburbs  of   St.  Roque,  contiguous  to 
•palace-gate,  to  avoid   the  terrible  and  fatal  ef- 
fects of  war.     The  carts  were  already  in  a  large 
or  flat-bottomed  boat,  and  the  ferrymen, 
us  coming,  were  tugging  hard  at  the  t 
' 


^eeo  , 

ry  rope,  to  get  oft'  the  boat,  which  was  aground, 
before  we  should  arrive.  It  was  no  small  mat- 
ter,, in  .exertion,  to  outdo  people  of  our  agility 


: 


91 

Simpson,  with  his  usual  good  humour,  urged 
the  race,  from  a  hope  that  the  garrison  would 
not  fire  upon  us,  when  in  the  boat  with  their 
flying  townsmen.  The  weight  of  our  bodies 
and  arms  put  the  boat  aground  in  good  earnest. 
Simpson  vociferously  urging  the  men  to  free  the 
boat,  directing  them  to  place  their  guns  in  my 
arms,  standing  on  the  bow.  He  ordered  me  to 
watch  the  flashes  of  the  eannon*  of  the  city 
near  palace  gate.  Jumping  into  the  water  mid- 
deep,  ail  but  sergeant  Dixon  and  myself,  they 
were  pushing,  pulling,  and  with  handspikes  at- 
tempting to  float  the  scow.  One  of  the  carts 
stood  between  Dixon  and  myself— -he  was  tug- 
ging at  the  ferry  rope.  Presently  *8  a  shot/* 
was  called,  it  went  wide  of  the  bout,  its  murk. 
The  exertions  of  the  party  were  redoubled. 
Keeping  an  eye  upon  the  town,  the  sun  about 
setting,  in  a  clear  sky,  the  view  was  beautiful 
indeed,  but  somewhat  terrific.  Battlements 
like  these  had  been  unknown  to  me.  Our  boat 
lay  like  a  rock  in  the  water,  arid  was  a  target 
at  point  blank  shot,  about  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  from  palace  gate,  which  issues  into  St. 
Roqne.  1  would  have  adored  all  the  saints  in 
the  Kalendar,  if  honor  and  their  worship* 
would  have  permitted  the  transportation  of  rny 
person  a  few  perches  from  the  spot  where  it  then 
stood,  by  the  austere  command  of  duty.  It  was 
plainly  observable  that  many  persons  were  en- 
gaged in  preparing  the  guns  for  another  dis- 

*  This  was  a  ridiculous  practice,  universally  adopted 
in  the  camp  near  Boston,  and  was  now  pursued  at  this 
place.  It  is  merely  designative  of  the  raw  soldier* 
Such  indications  of  fear  should  now-a-days  be  severely 
reprimanded. 


92 

charge.  Our  brave  men  were  straining  every 
nerve  to  obtain  success.  «  A  shot,"  was  all 
that  could  be  said,  when  a  thiny  six  pound  ball, 
touching  the  lower  edge  of  the  nob  of  the  cart- 
wheel, descending  a  little,  took  the  leg  of  my 
patriotic  friend  below  the  knee,  and  carried 
away  the  bones  of  that  part  entirely.  <«  Oh  ! 
Simpson,"  he  cried,  «  I  am  gone."  Simpson, 
whose  heart  was  tender  and  kind,  leaped  into 
the  boat :  calling  to  the  men,  the  person  of 
Dixon  was  borne  to  the  windmill.  Now  a  roar 
of  triumph  was  heard  from  the  city,  accompa- 
nied by  some  tolerably  well  directed  shots.  The 
unfortunate  was  borne  at  a  slow  and  solemn  pace, 
to  the  guard-house,  the  enemy,  every  now  and 
then,  sending  us  his  majesty's  compliments,  in 
the  shape  of  a  24  or  36  pound  ball.  When  the 
procession  came  into  a  line  with  the  town,  the 
guard-house  and  nunnery,  the  firing  ceased. 
At  the  time  we  were  most  busily  engaged  with 
Dixon,  at  the  windmill,  the  vile  Frenchman, 
aghast  and  horror  stricken,  fled  from  us  to  the 
city.  If  his  desertion  had  been  noticed  in  time, 
his  fate  had  been  sealed,  but  the  rascal  was  un- 
observed till  he  had  run  several  hundred  yards 
along  the  beach  of  the  bay  of  St.  Charles.  He 
turned  out  to  be  a  spy,  purposely  sent  by  gov- 
ernment to  decoy  and  entrap  us,  and  he  succeed- 
ed but  too  easily  with  the  vigilant  Arnold. 
Dixon  was  now  carried  on  a  litter  to  the  house 
of  an  English  gentleman,  about  a  mile  oif.  An 
amputation  took  place — a  tetanus  followed, 
which,  about  9  o'clock  of  the  ensuing  day,  end- 
ed in  the  dissolution  of  this  honorable  citizen 
and  soldier.  There  are  many  reasons  for  de- 
tailing this  affair  so  minutely  to  you*  Among 
these  are?  to  impress  upon  your  minds  an  idea 


93 

of  the  manners  ami  spirit  of  those  times  :  our 
means  and  rude  methods  of  warfare  :  but  more 
particularly  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  to 
your  observation  an  anecdote  of  Dixon,  which 
is  characteristic  of  the  ideas  and  feelings  then 
entertained  by  the  generality  of  his  countrymen. 
Before  we  left  our  native  homes,  tea  had,  as  it 
were,  become  an  abomination  even  to  the  ladies. 
The  taxation  of  it  by  the  parliament  of  En- 
gland, with  design  to  draw  from  us  a  trifling 
revenue,  was  made  the  pretence  with  the  great 
body  of  the  people,  for  our  opposition  to  gov- 
ernment. The  true  ground,  however,  with  the 
politically  wise,  was,  that  that  law  annihilated 
our  rights  as  Englishmen.  It  is  an  axiom  of 
the  common  law  of  our  glorious  ancestors,  that 
taxation  and  representation  must  go  hand  in 
hand.  This  rule  was  now  violated.  Hence  it 
was,  that  no  one  male -or  female,  knowing  their 
rights,  if  possessed  of  the  least  spark  of  pat- 
riotism, would  deign  to  taste  of  that  delightful 
beverage.  The  lady  of  the  house,  though  not 
one  who  approved  of  our  principles  of  action, 
was  very  attentive  to  our  wounded  companion  : 
she  presented  him  a  bowl  of  tea  ;  "  No  madam," 
said  he,  "  it  is  the  ruin  of  my  country.'5 

Uttering  this  noble  sentiment,  (Nov.  17th,) 
this  invaluable  citizen  died,  sincerely  lamented 
by  every  one  who  had  the  opportunity  of  know- 
ing his  virtues.  Dixon  WHS  a  gentleman  of  good 
property  and  education,  though  no  more  than 
the  first  sergeant  of  our  company.  His  estate 
lay  in  W.  Hanover  township,  in  the  county  of 
Lancaster,  (now  in  Dauphin.)  He  was  an  agri- 
culturalist, which,  in  the  vagueness  and  uncer- 
tainty of  our  language,  is  called  "  a  farmer." 
In  fact  he  was  a  freeholder,  the  possessor  of  an 


94 

excellent  tract  of  land,  accompanied  by  all 
those  agreeables  which  render  the  cultivator  of 
the  earth,  in  Pennsylvania,  the  most  independent, 
and,  with  prudent  economy,  the  most  happy  of 
human  beings.  The  following  morning,  Simp- 
son was  the  first  to  give  me  an  account  of  Dixon's 
death,  which  affected  us  much,  his  corpse  re- 
ceived the  usual  military  honors.  Duty  com- 
pelled my  absence  elsewhere.  The  blood  of 
Dixon  was  the  first  oblation  made  upon  the  altar 
of  Liberty  at  Quebec,  and  Merchant  was  the 
first  prisoner.  The  latter  was  a  brave  and  de- 
termined soldier,  fitted  for  subordinate  station  - 
the  former  was  intuitively  a  captain.  The  city 
and  vicinity  occupied  the  attention  of  the  com- 
mander nearly  a  week. 

Nov.  18th. — Not  being  fully  in  the  secret,  it 
does  not  become  me  to  recount  the  causes  of  our 
retreat,  to  Point  Aux  Tremble.  We  did  howe- 
ver make  this  retrograde  movement,  rather  in  a 
slovenly  style,  accompanied,  probably,  by  the 
maledictions  of  the  clergy  and  nobility,  but  at- 
tended by  the  regrets  of  a  host  of  well-wishers 
among  the  peasantry.  Point  Aux  Tremble  is 
at  the  distance  of  twenty,  or  more,  miles  from 
Quebec.  The  route  thither,  though  in  a  severe 
winter,  was  interesting.  The  woods  were  leaf- 
less, except  as  to  those  trees  of  the  fir-kind  ; 
but  numerous  neat  and  handsomely  situated 
farm-houses,  and  many  beautiful  landscapes 
were  presented,  and  enlivened  our  march  along 
this  majestic  stream.  At  Detroit,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  little  short  of  nine  hundred  miles 
from  Quebec  : — even  there,  it  is  no  contempti- 
ble river,  but  here  the  immense  volume  of  its 
waters,  strikes  the  mind  of  the  stranger  with 
astonishment  and  rapture.  Our  Susquehanna* 


95 

which,  from  its  grandeur,  attracts  the  Euro- 
pean eye,  stands  in  a  low  grade  when  compared 
with  the  St.  Lawrence.  Ascending  the  river  at 
a  distance  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles,  we  observed 
the  rapid  passage,  down  stream,  of  a  boat,  and 
soon  afterwards  of  a  ship,  one  or  other  of  which 
contained  the  person  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton. 
That  it  was  the  governor  of  the  province,  flying 
from  Montgomery,  who  had  by  this  time  cap- 
tured Montreal,  we  were  informed  by  a  special 
kind  of  messenger,  which  was  no  other  than 
the  report  of  the  cannon,  by  way  of  feu-de-joye, 
upon  his  arrival  at  the  capital.  Water,  in  re- 
gard to  the  communication  of  sound,  is  nearly 
as  good  a  conductor  as  metals  are,  for  the  trans- 
mission of  the  electric  fluid.  Though  near  to 
the  place  of  our  destination,  we  could  mark 
with  precision  the  report  of  every  gun.  Point 
Aux  Tremble,  at  this  time,  had  assumed  the 
appearance  of  a  straggling  village.  There  was 
a  spacious  chapel,  where  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Roman-Catholic  religion  were  performed,  with 
a  pomp  not  seen  in  our  churches,  but  by  a  fer- 
vency and  zeal  apparently  very  pious,  which  be- 
came a  severe  and  additional  stroke  at  early 
prejudices.  Quarters  were  obtained  in  the  vil- 
lage and  farm  houses,  dispersed  over  a  space  of 
some  miles,  up  and  down  the  river,  We  enjoy- 
ed as  much  comfort  as  tight  houses,  warm  tires, 
and  our  scantiness  of  clothing  would  admit. 
Provisions  were  in  plenty,  and  particularly  beef, 
which,  though  small  in  bulk,  was  of  an  excel- 
lent flavour.  Being  in  a  few  davs,  as  it  were, 
domesticated  in  a  respectable  farmer's  house, 
we  now  had  leisure  to  observe  the  economy  of 
the  family.  Every  crevice  through  which  eold 
air  could  penetrate,  was  carefully  pasted  with 


96 

strips  of  paper  of  every  colour.  To  permit  the 
cold  air  to  intrude  is  not  the  only  evil  which  re- 
sults $  hut  the  smallest  interstice  with  the  air, 
also  admits  an  almost  impalpable  snow,  which 
is  very  inconvenient,  particularly  at  night,  when 
the  winds  blow  most  sharply.  A  stove  of  iron 
stood  a  small  space  from  the  wall  of  the  kitchen 
chimney,  hut  in  such  a  way  that  it  might  be  en- 
compassed by  the  family  or  the  guests.  This 
stove  was  kept  continually  hot,  both  by  day  and 
by  night.  Over  the  stove  their  is  a  rack  so  con- 
structed as  to  serve  for  the  drying  of  wet  clothes, 
moekasins,  &c.  &c.  When  these  people  slaugh- 
ter their  beasts  for  winter  use,  they  cut  up  the 
meat  into  small  pieces,  such  as  a  half  pound, 
two  pounds  &c.  according  to  the  number  of  the 
family.  In  the  evening  before  bedtime,  the  fe- 
males of  the  house,  prepare  the  dinner  of  the 
following  day.  It  may  be  particularly  described, 
as  it  was  done  in  our  view  for  a  number  of  days 
together,  arid  during  the  time  was  never  varied. 
This  was  the  manner  :  A  piece  of  pork  or  beef, 
or  a  portion  of  each  kind,  together  with  a  suffi- 
ciency of  cabbage,  potatoes  and  turnips,  season- 
ed with  salt,  and  an  adequate  quantity  of  water, 
were  put  ioto  a  neat  tin  kettle  with  a  close  lid. 
The  kettle,  thus  replenished,  was  placed  on  the 
stove  in  the  room  where  we  "all  slept,  and  there 
it  simmered  til!  the  time  of  rising,  when  it  was 
taken  to  a  small  lire  in  the  kitchen,  where  a 
stewing  continued  till  near  noon,  when  they  di- 
ned. The  contents  were  teemed  into  a  large 
bason.  Each  person  had  a  plate — no  knife  was 
used,  except  one  to  cut  the  bread,  but  a  live  or 
six  pronged  fork  answered  the  purposes  of  a 
spoon.  The  meat  required  no  cutting,  us  it  was 
reduced  to  a  musilage,  or  at  least  to  shreds. 


97 

This,  you  may  say,  is  trifling  information,  and 
unworthy  of  your  notice  ;  according  to  my  mind, 
it  is  important  to  all  of  us,  to  know  the  habits, 
manners,  and  means  of  existence  of  that  class 
of  society,  which,  in  all  nations,  composes    the 
bulk   and   strength    of  the  body  politic.     Our 
dinner  followed  in  a  few  hours.     The  manner  of 
our  cookery  excited  astonishment  in  our  hosts. 
As  much  beef  was  consumed  at  a  single  meal,  as 
would  have  served  this  family  for  a  week.     Re- 
member, however,  that  the  mess  consisted  of 
persons  who  were  entitled  to  double  and  treble 
rations.      Two  rosy-cheeked  daughters  of  the 
house,  soon    contrived  the  means    and    obtained 
the  surplus.     This  circumstance,  most  probably, 
made  us  agreeable  to  the  family,  for  we  had 
nothing  else  to  hestow.     The  snowr  had  now  fal- 
len in  abundance,    and  enlivened  the  country. 
Sleighs  and  sleds  were  passing  in  every  direction* 
The  farmers  began  to  supply  themselves  with  a 
full  stock  of  winter's  fuel  from  the  forest.     No 
fowls  were  visible  about  the  house — a  few  were 
kept  alive  for  breeding  in  the  ensuing  summer,  in 
a  close  and  warm  coop  in  the  upper- story  of  the 
barn.     The  rest  of  the  fowls,  intended  for  the 
market  or  winter's  use,  had  been  slaughtered, 
early  in  autumn,  at  setting  in  of  the  frost,  and 
were   hung  up  in  the  feathers  in  the  garret. 
Thence  they  were  taken  as  wanted.     Towards 
march  they  become  unsavoury,  but  in  no  way 
tainted.     We  became   acquainted  with  this  kind 
of  economy,  but  upon  a  much  larger  scale  af- 
terwards, when  in  a  state  of  affliction  and   sor- 
roAV.     The  roads  in  this  part  of  Canada  are  kept 
in  excellent  order.     The  corvee  of  European 
France  is  maintained  by  the  government  in  full 
effect,  as  to  its  principles,  but  far  less  rigid  in 


98 

its  practice.  The  roads  in  low  grounds,  were 
ditched  on  the  sides  and  curved  towards  the  cen- 
tre. Every  forty  or  fifty  yards  on  each  side  of  the 
road,  throughout  the  extent  of  it,  young  pines 
were  stuck  in  the  ground,  to  mark  the  central 
and  safest  passage.  It  is  a  law,  that  the  landhold- 
er, whenever  a  snow  falls,  whether  by  day  or 
night,  when  it  ceases,  shall  with  his  horses  and 
eariole,  retrace  the  road,  formed  on  the  preced- 
ing snow,  throughout  the  extent  of  his  grounds. 
This  is  a  laborious  duty,  but  it  was  discernible, 
that  it  was  performed  with  punctuality,  if  not 
pleasure.  In  December,  January,  and  February, 
when  the  snow  lays  from  three  to  five  feet  deep 
over  the  surface,  there  is  no  travelling  in  this 
country,  but  by  ways  thus  formed,  or  upon  snow 
shoes. 

On  the  first  of  December,  general  Montgo- 
mery, who  was  anxiously  expected,  arrived.  Ar- 
nold's corps,  was  paraded  in  the  front  of  the  cha- 
pel. It  was  lo wring  and  cold,  but  the  appear- 
ance of  the  general  here,  gave  us  warmth  and 
animation.  He  was  well  limbed,  tall  and  hand- 
some, though  his  face  was  much  pock-marked. 
His  air  and  manner,  designated  the  real  soldier. 
He  made  us  a  short,  but  energetic  and  elegant 
speech,  the  burthen  of  which,  was  an  applause 
of  our  spirit  in  passing  the  wilderness.;  a  hope, 
*>ur  perseverance  in  that  spirit  would  continue; 
and  a  promise  of  warm  clothing ;  the  latter 
was  a  most  comfortable  assurance.  A  few  huz- 
zas from  our  freezing  bodies,  were  returned 
to  this  address  of  the  gallant  hero.  Now  new 
life  was  infused  into  the  whole  of  the  corps. 

The  next  day  (December  3d,)  we  retraced  the 
route  from  Quebec.  A  snow  had  fallen  during 
ilhe  night,  and  continued  falling.  To  march  on 
'Snow?  was  a  most  fatiguing  business.  By 


99 

this  time,  we  had  generally  furnished  ourselves 
with  seal-skin  mockasins,  which  m-e  large,  and 
according  to  the  usage  of  the  country 9  stuffed 
with  hay  or,  leaves,  to  keep  the  feet  dry  and 
warm.  Every  step  taken  in  the  dry  snow,  the 
mockasin  having  no  raised  heel  to  support  the 
position  of  the  foot,  it  slipped  back,  and  thus-, 
produced  great  weariness.  On  this  march  the 
use  of  the  snow-shoe  was  very  obvious,  but  wo 
were  destitute  of  that  article.  The  evening 
brought  up  the  riflemen  at  an  extensive  house, 
in  the  parish  of  St.  Foix,  about  three  miles 
from  Quebec.  It  was  inhabited  by  tenants.  We 
took  possession  of  a  front  parlour  on  the  left, 
Morgan,  one  upon  the  right,  Hendricks,  aback 
apartment,  and  the  soldiery  in  the  upper  parts 
of  the  house,  and  some  warm  out-buildings. 

The  next  day  (December  3d,)  Morgan  not 
finding  himself  comfortable,,  moved  a  short  space 
nearer  to  the  city.  Here,  in  low  and  pretty  coun- 
try houses,  he  and  his  men,  were  neatly  accom- 
modated. It  seemed  to  me,  that  the  Canadians, 
in  the  vicinage  of  Quebec,  lived  as  comfortably,, 
in  general,  as  the  generality  of  the  Pennsyiva- 
nians  did,  at  that  time,  in  the  county  of  Lan- 
caster. It  may  readily  occur  to  you,  that  some 
restriction  ought  to  cramp  this  latitude  of  ex- 
pression;  take  it,  however,  as  a  description 
of  our  sensations,  entertained  in  our  minds  by 
the  conveniences  we  now  enjoyed,  in  opposition- 
to  our  late  privations.  We  had"  just  arrived  from 
a  dreary  and  inhospitable  wild,  half- starved  and 
thinly  clothed,  in  a  land  of  plenty,  where  we 
had  full  rations  and  warm  quarters,  consequent- 
ly, our  present  feelings  contrasted  with  former 
sufferings,  might  have  appreciated  in  too  high 
a  degree,  the  happiness  of  the  Canadian*  Wlia-t 


100 

is  now  said,  ought  not  to  be  taken  in  anywise, 
as  an  allusion  to  the  political  rights,  but  be  eon- 
ilned  solely  to  the  apparent  prosperity  and  eco- 
nomy of  families, 

December  12th.  We  remained  about  ten  days 
at  these  quarters.  The  tours  of  duty,  to  Arnold's 
party,  were  peculiarly  severe.  The  officers 
and  men,  still  wore  nothing  else,  than  the  re- 
mains of  the  summer  clothing,  which  being  on 
their  back,  had  escaped  destruction  in  the  dis- 
asters of  the  wilderness.  The  snow  lay  three 
feet  deep  over  the  face  of  the  whole  country, 
and  there  was  an  addition  to  it  almost  daily. 
Many  impediments  occurred,  to  delay  the  trans- 
portation of  the  clothing,  which  general  Mont- 
gomery had  procured  for  us  at  Montreal.  Our 
miserable  state,  contrary  to  our  principles*  ex- 
cited an  illicit  desire,  to  be  apparrelled  more 
comfortably.  This  desire  would  probably  have 
lain  dormant,  but  for  a  scoundrel  Canadian, 
who  in  all  likelihood,  was  an  enemy  of  Lieuten- 
ant Governor  Cromie's.  One  morning  having 
returned  from  a  cold  night's  duty,  near  palace- 
gate,  the  fellow  addressed  Simpson,  who  was 
the  only  officer  in  quarters,  and  communicated 
ihe  information:  "  That  about  two  miles  up 
»4  the  St.  Lawrence,  lay  a  country  seat  of  Go- 
**  vernor  Cromie's,  stocked  with  many  things 
"  we  wanted,  and  he  would  be  our  guide."  Ca- 
viole's  were  immediately  procured.  The  house, 
a  neat  box,  was  romantically  situated  on  the 
steep  bank  of  the  river,  not  very  distant  from  a 
chapel.  Though  in  the  midst  of  winter,  the 
spot  displayed  the  elegant  taste  and  abundant 
wealth  of  the  owner.  It  must  be  a  most  delight- 
ful summer  residence,  in  the  months  of  July 
August,  when  the  heat  of  this  northern  eH- 


101 

mate,  seems  greater  to  sensation,  than  that  of 
our  country,  in  the  same  season.  The  house 
was  closed;  knocking,  the  hall-door  \vas  opened 
to  us  by  an  Irishwoman,  who,  of  the  fair  sex, 
was  the  largest  and  most  brawny,  that  ever 
came  under  my  notice.  She  was  the  stewardess 
of  the  house.  Our  questions  were  answered 
with  an  apparent  affability  and  frankness.  She 
introduced  us  into  the  kitchen,  a  large  apart- 
ment, well  filled  with  those  articles,  which  good- 
livers  think  necessary,  to  the  happy  enjoyment 
of  life.  Here' we  observed,  five  or  six  Canadian 
servants,  huddled  into  a  corner  of  the  kitchen, 
trembling  with  fear.  Our  prying  eyes,  soon 
discovered  a  trap-door  leading  into  the  cellar* 
In  the  country  houses  of  Canada,  because  of 
the  frigidity  of  the  climate,  the  cellars  are  usu- 
ally under  a  warm  room,  and  are  principally 
intended,  for  the  preservation  of  vegetables. 
The  cavity  in  this  instance,  abounded  with  a 
great  variety  of  eatables,  of  wrhich,  we  were 
not  in  the  immediate  want.  The  men  entered 
it — Firkin,  after  firkin  of  butter;  lard,  tallow, 
beef,  pork,  fresh  and  salt — all  became  a  prey. 
"While  the  men  were  rummaging  below,  the 
lieutenant  descended  to  cause  more  despatch* 
My  duty  was  to  remain  at  the  end  of  the  trap-* 
door,  with  my  back  to  the  wall,  and  rifle  cock- 
ed as  a  sentry,  keeping  a  strict  eye  on  the  ser- 
vants. My  good  Irishwoman  frequently  beck- 
oned to  me  to  descend:  her  drift  was  to  catch 
us  all  in  the  trap.  Luckily  she  was  compre- 
hended. The  cellar  and  kitchen  being  thorough- 
ly gutted,  and  the  spoil  borne  to  the  carriages, 
the  party  dispersed  into  the  other  apartments* 
More  was  elegancy.  The  walls  and  partitions, 
were  beautifully  papered  and  decorated, 
I  % 


102 

large  engravings,  maps,  &c.  &c.  of  the  most  cele- 
brated artists.  A  noble  view  of  the  eity  of  Phila- 
delphia, upon  a  large  scale,  taken  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Cooper's  ferry,  drew  my  attention, 
and  raised  some  compunctive  ideas;  but  war  and 
the  sciences  always  stand  at  arms  length  in  the 
contests  of  mankind*  The  latter  must  succumb 
in  the  tumult.  Our  attention  was  much  more 
attracted  by  the  costly  feather  beds,  counter- 
panes, and  charming  rose- blankets,  which  the 
house  afforded.  Of  these  there  was  good  store, 
and  we  left  not  a  jot  behind  us.  The  nooks  and 
crevices  in  the  carioles,  were  filled  with  smaller 
articles;  several  dozens  of  admirably  finished 
ease-knives  and  forks — even  a* sett  of  desert 
knives  obtained  the  notice  of  our  cupidity.  Ar- 
ticles of  lesser  moment,  not  a  thousandth  part 
so  useful,  did  not  escape  the  all-grasping  hands 
of  the  soldiery.  In  a  back  apartment,  there 
stood  a  mahogany  couch,  or  settee  in  a  highly 
finished  style.  The  woodwork  of  the  couch  was 
raised  on  all  sides  by  cushioning,  and  lastly, 
Covered  by  a  rich  figured  silk.  This  to  us,  was 
lumber,  besides  our  carioles  were  full.  How- 
ever, we  grabbed  the  matrass  and  pallets,  all 
equally  elegant  as  the  couch:  Having,  as  we 
thought,  divested  his  Excellency  of  all  the  arti- 
cles of  prime  necessity,  we  departed,  ostensibly 
and  even  audibly  accompanied  by  the  pious  bless- 
ings of  the  stewardess  for  our  moderation.  ]Va 
doubt  she  had  her  mental  reservations ;  on  such 
Business  as  this,  we  regarded  neither.  Near  the 
eh apel,  we  met  a  party  of  Morgan's  men  com- 
ing to  do  that,  which  we  had  already  done.  The 
officer  appeared  chagrined  when  he  saw  the  ex- 
tent of  our  plunder.  He  went  on,  and  finally 
vansacked  the  house.,  and  yet  a  little  more,  the 


9 


103 

stables.  The  joy  of  our  men,  among  whom,  the 
plunder  WHS  distributed  in  nearly  equal  portions 
was  extravagant.  Now  an  operation  of  the  hu- 
man mind,  which  often  takes  place  in  society, 
and  is  every  day  discernible  by  persons  of  obser- 
vation, became  clearly  obvious.  "Let  a  man 
«  once  with  impunity,  desert  the  strict  rule  of 
**  right,  all  subsequent  aggression,  is  not  only 
"  increases  in  atrocity,  but  is  done  without 
•*'  qualm  of  conscience."  Though  our  company 
was  composed  principally  of  freeholders,  or  the 
sons  of  such,  bred  at  home  under  the  strictures 
of  religion  and  morality,  yet  when  the  reins  of 
decorum  were  loosed,  and  the  honorable  feeling 
weakened,  it  became  impossible  to  administer 
restraint.  The  person  of  a  tory,  or  his  proper- 
ty, became  fair  game?  and  this  at  the  denunci- 
ation of  some  base  domestic  villain. 

On  the  morning  following,  (Dec.  15th,)  the 
same  audacious  scoundrel  again  returned.  By 
leading  to  the  first  affair,  and  his  intercourses 
wiiii  the  privates,  he  had  so  wormed  himself  in* 
to  their  good  graces,  that  nothing  would  do  but 
a  system  of  marauding  upon  our  supposed  ene- 
mies, the  tories.  In  this  new  expedition,  which 
was  further  than  the  former,  the  officers  thought 
it  prudent  to  accompany  the  men,  in  truth,  to 
keep  ordor  and  repress  their  ardency.  We  ar- 
rived at  a  farm  said  to  belong  to  Gov,  Cromie  or, 
some  other  inhabitant  of  Quebec.  The  farm- 
house, though  low,  being  but  one  story,  was 
capacious,  and  tolerably  neat.  The  barn  built 
of  logs,  with  a  threshing-iloor  in  the  centre, 
was  from  seventy  to  eighty  feet  in  length.  The 
tenant,  his  wife,  and  children,  shuddered  upon 
our  approach.  Assurances  that  they  should  be 
unharmed,  relieved  their  fears.  The  tenant 


104 

pointed  out  to  us  the  horned-cattle,  pigs,  and 
poultry  of  his  landlord.  These  \ve  shot  down 
without  mercy,  or  drove  hefore  us  to  our  quar- 
ters. Thus  we  obtained  a  tolerable  load  for 
our  caravan,  which  consisted  of  five  or  six  ca~ 
rioles. 

With  this  disreputable  exploit,  marauding 
ceased.  A  returning  sense  of  decency  and  or- 
der, emanating  from  ourselves,  produced  a  spe- 
cies of  contrition.  It  is  a  solemn  truth,  that 
\ve  plundered  none,  but  those  who  were  noto- 
riously tories,  and  then  within  the  walls  of  Que- 
bec. The  clergy,  the  nobles,  and  the  peasan- 
try, were  respected  and  protected,  especially 
the  latter,  with  whom,  to  use  a  trite  expression, 
Ave  fraternized.  The  minuteness  of  this  descrip- 
tion of  occurrences,  of  a  trivial,  yet  disgrace- 
ful nature,  is  made  the  more  strongly  jto  impress 
your  minds,  with  the  horrors  attendant  on  civil 
wars.  This  species  of  war,  more  than  any  other, 
not  only  affects  the  great  and  the  wealthy,  but 
it  intrudes  itself  into,  and  devastates  the  cottage. 
This  the  American  people  know,  from  the  ma- 
ny melancholy  scenes,  which  succeeded  the  pe- 
riod spoken  of. 

Gracious  and  Almighty  God!  the  shield  and 
protector  of  the  good,  as  well  as  thou  art  the 
scourge  of  the  base  and  wicked  nation,  avert 
from  my*  country,  this  the  most  terrible  of  thy 
modes  of  temporal  vengeance. 

December  15th.  In  a  short  time,  the  rifle 
companies  moved  and  occupied  good  quarters 
on  the  low  grounds,  near  St.  Charles'  river,  and 
about  two  miles  from  Quebec.  Our  clothing 
\vas  still  of  the  flimsy  kind,  before  noted,  hut 
our  hearts  were  light,  even  to  merriment.  In- 
dividually, from  our  own  funds,  we  supplied  our 


105 

selves  with  arm-gloves,  and  renewed  our  moe- 
kasins.  This  was  aboul  the  middle  of  Decem- 
ber, During  all  this  time,  our  daily  duty  wa& 
laborious  in  various  ways,  and  every  other  night, 
we  mounted  guard  at  St.  Roque.  A  guard- 
house, ere  this  had  been  established  at  this 
place,  in  a  very  large  stone-house,  which,  though 
strong,  being  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire,  was 
soon  battered  about  our  ears,  the  distance  scarce- 
ly more  than  three  hundred  yards.  That  po- 
sition was  changed  for  one  more  secure.  A 
house,  -which  had  been  a  tavern,  was  adopted 
in  its  stead.  This  house  was  peculiarly  situ- 
ated. It  was  comparatively  small  with  the  form- 
er in  its  dimensions,  but  the  walls  were  strong, 
and  the  cielings  bomb-proof.  It  stood  under  the 
hill,  so  as  to  be  out  of  the  range  of  the  shot, 
from  the  ramparts  contiguous  to  Palace  gate, 
which  were  elevated  far  above  us.  Simpson 
would  say,  Jack,  let  us  have  a  shot  at  those  fel- 
lows. Even  at  noon-day,  we  would  creep  along 
close  to  the  houses,  which  ranged  under  the  hill, 
but  close  in  with  it,  till  we  came  within  forty 
yards  of  Palace-gate.  Here  was  a  smith-shop, 
formed  of  logs,  through  the  crevices,  of  which, 
we  would  fire,  at  an  angle  of  70,  at  the  sentries 
above  us.  Many  of  them  were  killed,  and  it  was 
said,  several  officers.  This  was  dishonorable 
war,  though  authorized  by  the  practices  of 
those  times.  The  distance  from  this  guard- 
house to  Palace-gate,  may  be  three  hundred 
and  fifty  yards.  The  hill,  at  the  back  of  the 
house,  seemed  to  make  an  angle  of  60  or  70 
degrees.  This  aclivity  continued  from  the  walls 
of  the  city,  and  around  it  by  the  Lower  town, 
(where  it  is  greatest,)  for  many  miles  up  the 
St.  Lawrence  and  St,  Charles,  and  forms  tbe 


106 

basis  of  Abraham's  Plains.  It  was  about  that 
time  the  York  artillerists,  under  captain  Lamb, 
had  constructed  a  battery  on  the  Plains,  at  the 
distance  of  600  or  700  yards  from  the  fortress. 
The  earth  was  too  difficult  for  the  intrenching 
tools  to  pierce,  the  only  method  left,  was  to 
raise  a  battery  composed  of  ice  and  snow.  The 
snow  was  made  into  ice  by  the  addition  of  water. 
The  work  was  done  in  the  night  time.  Five  or 
six  nine-pounders,  and  a  howitzer  were  placed 
in  it;  it  was  scarcely  completed,  and  our  guns 
had  opened  on  the  city,  before  it  was  pierced 
through  and  through,  by  the  weightier  metal 
of  the  enemy.  Several  lives  were  lost  on  the 
first  and  second  day.  Yet  the  experiment  was 
persisted  in,  till  a  single  ball*  piercing  the  batte- 
ry, killed  and  wounded  three  persons*  In  the 
quarters  last  mentioned,  wa  enjoyed  some  pleas- 
ant days.  The  winter  in  Canada,  as  with  us, 
is  the  season  of  good  humour  and  joy. 

December  18th,  19th.  Upon  a  secession  from 
the  out-post,  or  other  military  employments, 
we  were  agreebly  received  in  the  farm  houses 
around.  Our  engagements  near  Palace-gate, 
still  continued  to  be  of  the  arduous  kind:  our 
numbers  being  few,  every  second  watch  was 
performed  by  the  same  persons,  who  had  made 
the  guard  the  last  but  one.  Between  the  guard- 
house, and  the  extreme  end  of  the  suburbs  of 
St.  Roque,  which  may  be  half  a  mile  from  the 
ramparts,  there  was  a  rising  ground  in  the 
main  street  fairly  in  view  of  the  enemy,  and 
whilst  we  relieved  in  daylight,  was  raked,  even 
by  grape-shot.  Some  good  men  were  lost  here. 
This  circumstance,  changed  the  time  of  relief, 
to  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening.  The  rifle-men 


.07 

were  principally  employed  as  guards,  at  this  dan- 
gerous station.  It  is  but  fair  and  honest,  to 
relate  to  you,  an  anecdote  concerning  myself, 
which  will  convey  to  your  minds,  some  no- 
tion of  that  affection,  of  the  head  or  heart, 
which  the  military  call  a  panic-terror.  Being 
one  of  the  guard  and  having  heen  relieved  as  a 
sentry,  ahout  twelve  or  one  o'clock  at  night, 
upon  returning  to  the  guard-house,  in  a  dozing 
state ;  I  cast  myself  on  a  bench*  next  the  back 
wall — young,  my  sleeps  were  deep  and  heavy; 
my  youth  obtained  this  grace  from  Simpson, 
the  officer  who  commanded ;  about  three  o'clock, 
I  was  roused  by  a  horrible  noise.  The  enemy, 
in  casting  their  shells,  usually  began  in  the 
evening,  and  threw  but  a  few,  towards  morning, 
they  became  more  alert.  Our  station  being  out 
of  sight,  it  \vas  so  managed,  as  to  throw  the 
shells  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  directly  back  of 
us,  so  as  they  would  trundle  down  against  the 
wall  of  -the  guard- house.  This  had  frequently 
occurred  before,  but  was  not  minded.  A.  thir- 
teen-inch  shell,  thus  thrown,  came  immediate- 
ly opposite  the  place,  where  my  head  lay ;  to 
be  sure,  the  three  feet  wall  was  between  us. 
The  bursting  report  was  tremendous,  but  it  was 
heard  in  a  profound  sleep.  Starting  instantly, 
though  unconscious  of  the  <»ause,  and  running 
probably  fifty  yards,  through  untrod  snow,  three 
feet  deep,  to  a  coal- house,  a  place  quite  un- 
known to  me  before  :  It  was  ten  or  fifteen  minu- 
tes before  the  extreme  cold,  restored  that  kind 
of  sensibility,  which  enabled  me  to  know  my  real 
situation.  Knowing  nothing  ofr  the  cause,  the 
probableKjffeet  nor  any  thing  of  the  consequences, 
which  might  follow  from  this  involuntary  exer- 
tion* it  seemed  to  jne  to  be  a  species  of  the  panic* 


108 

which  has  been  known  to  affect  whole  armies* 
The  circumstance  here  related,  caused  a  laugh 
against  rne ;  but  it  was  soon  discovered,  that 
those  of  the  soldiery,  though  wide  awake,  were 
as  much  panic  stricken  as  myself.  The  laugh 
rebounded  upon  them.  During  this  period,  we 
had  many  bitter  nights.  To  give  you  some  idea 
of  a  Canada  winter,  allow  me  to  relate  an  oc- 
currence^ which  is  literally  genuine. 

December  24th.  One  night,  at  the  time  of  re- 
lief, a  confidential  person  came  from  colonel 
Arnold,  accompanied  by  an  Irish  gentleman,  nam- 
ed Craig,  directing  the  relieved  guard  to  escort 
liim  to  his  own  house,  which  stood  betsveen  twenty 
and  thirty  paces  from  Palace-gate.  Craig  was  a 
merchant  of  considerable  wealth,  and  what  was 
more,  an  excellent  whig.  He  was  expelled  from 
his  habitation  because  of  his  whigism,  and  took 
refuge  in  Arnold's  quarters.  Montgomery,  by 
this  time,  had  furnished  us  with  personal  cloth- 
ing suitable  to  the  climate,  but  there  were  a 
thousand  other  things  wanting  for  comfortable 
accommodation.  Many  of  these  Mr.  Craig  pos- 
sessed, and  Arnold's  luxurious  cupidity  desired. 
Craig's  house  was  an  extensive  building,  three 
stories  high,  with  back  buildings  of  an  equal 
height*  running  far  in  the  rear  along  the  foot 
of  the  hill.  This  last  building  consisted  of 
stores,  which,  as  well  as  the  house,  was  of  brick 
work.  We  came  to  the  back  part  of  the  house 
silently,  and  with  the  utmost  caution.  Mr. 
Craig,*  by  a  slight  knock  brought  a  trusty  old 
negro  to  the  door,  who  was  the  sole  guardian  of 
the  house.  The  objects  of  Mr.  Craig  were  fry- 
ing-pans, skillets,  and  a  great  variety  of  other 
articles  of  ironmongery,  together  with  eloths9 
flannels,  linnens,  &e.  &c,  &c.  The  party  with 


109 

Craig  entered  the  bouse.  As  a  man  of  confi- 
dence, and  as  a  sentry,  it  became  iny  business  to 
watch  the  Palace-gate.  There  was  a  clear 
moonlight,  but  it  was  exceedingly  bleak.  My 
place  of  observation  was  under  a  brick  arch, 
over  which  were  stores  of  Mr.  Craig,  perhaps 
less  than  eighty  feet  from  Palace-gate.  My 
gloves  were  good  and  well  lined  with  fur,  and 
my  mockasins  of  the  best  kind,  well  stuffed.  Un- 
seen— continually  pacing  the  width  of  the  arch  : 
My  companions  seemed  to  employ  too  much 
time.  Some  Frenchmen,  of  colonel  Livingston's 
regiment,  without  our  knowledge,  had  been  be- 
low  Palace-gate  marauding*  Repassing  the 
house  we  were  at,  like  so  many  hell-hounds,  they 
set  up  a  yelling  and  horrid  din,  which  not  only 
scared  our  party,  but  alarmed  the  garrison  itself,, 
My  companions  in  the  house  (apprehensive  of 
a  sally  from  Palace-gate,)  fled,  carrying  all 
they  could.  Though  I  heard  the  noise,  the 
flight  of  my  friends  was  unseen,  as  they  emerg- 
ed from  the  cellars.  The  noise  and  bustle  cre- 
ated by  the  Canadians  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  enemy.  Large  and  small  shells  were 
Thrown  in  every  direction,  wherever  a  noise  was 
heard  in  St.  Roque*  Having  on  a  fine  white 
blanket  coat,  and  turning  my  cap  or  "  bonnet 
rouge,"  inside  out,  the  inside  being  white,  made 
me,  as  it  were,  invisible  in  the  snow*  Under  the 
arch  the  conversation  of  the  sentries,  as  it  were, 
almost  over  my  head,  was  very  distinguishable. 
In  this  cold  region,  many  reasons  operate  to  in- 
duce the  placing  two  sentries  at  the  same  post — 
they  enliven  each  other  by  conversing,  and  it 
prevents  the  fatal  effects  which  follow  from 
standing  still  in  one  position.  Fifteen  minutes, 
at  this  time,  was  the  term  of  the  sentries,  stand- 
K 


110 

Ing.  The  time  of  my  standing  under  the  arch 
seemed  to  be  several  hours,  yet  honor  and  duty 
required  perseverance.  At  length,  being  wearied 
out — going  to  the  back  door  of  the  house  and 
knocking — no  whisper  could  be  heard  within— 
the  old  negro  was  soundly  asleep  in  his  bomb- 
proof shell.  At  this  moment  those  Canadians 
ran  past  the  gateway  again,  with  their  usual 
noisy  jabber;  to  me,  in  my  deserted  state,  it 
seemed  a  sally  of  the  enemy.  There  was  no 
outlet  but  by  the  way  we  came,  which  seemed 
hazardous.  Running  gun  in  hand  into  a  large 
enclosure,  which  was  a  garden  of  Mr.  Craig's : 
here  was  a  new  dilemma.  There  was  no  escape 
but  by  returning  to  the  house  or  climbing  a  pali- 
sade twenty  feet  high.  The  latter  was  prefer- 
cd;  but  my  rille  was  left  within  the  enclosure, 
as  no  means  could  be  fallen  upon  to  get  it  over 
the  stockade*  The  guard-house  was  soon  reach- 
ed. One  of  the  sergeants  kindly  returned  with 
•me  to  assist  in  bringing  over  my  gun.  It  was 
grasped  inextacy:  Alas  !  the  determination  never 
to  part  with  it  again,  but  with  life,  was  futile. 
While  in  the  enclosure,  going  from  and  returning 
to  it,  we  were  assailed  with  grape-shot  and 
shells,  not  by  any  means  aimed  at  us,  for  the 
enemy  knew  not  that  we  were  there,  but  was  in- 
tended to  disperse  those  vociferous  and  vile  Ca- 
nadians, and  it  had  the  effect.  They  were  as 
cowardly  as  noisy.  The  cohorn  shells  were 
handsomely  managed.  They  usually  burst  at 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the  earth,  so  as  to 
scatter  their  destructive  effects  more  widely. 
Again  coming  to  the  guard-house,  my  immedi- 
ate friends  all  gone,  1  ran  thence  to  our  quar- 
ters about  two  miles,  with  great  speed.  This 
was  about  three  o'clock  in  -the  morning.  Coin- 


Ill 

ing  to  quarters,  my  feet  and  hands  were  numbed* 
without  ever  having,  during  those  many  dreary 
hours,  been  sensible  of  the  cold.  It  was  soon 
discovered  that  they  were  frozen.  Pulling  off 
my  leggins,  &e.  and  immerging  my  feet  and  legs 
knee  deep  in  the  snow  at  the  door,  rubbing  with 
my  hands  a  few  minutes,  soon  caused  a  recircu- 
Jation  of  the  blood ;  the  hands  were  restored  by 
the  act.  For  fifteen,  and  even  twenty  years  af- 
terwards, the  intolerable  effects  of  that  night's 
frost  were  most  sensibly  felt.  The  soles  of  my  feet, 
particularly,  the  prominencies,  were  severly 
frostbitten  and  much  inflamed  :  so  it  was  as  to 
my  hands.  But  it  was  very  remarkable  that 
these  subsequent  annual  painings,  uniformly  at- 
tacked me  in  the  same  month  of  the  year  in 
which  the  cause  occurred. 

On  the  night  of  the  20th,  or  2ist  of  December? 
a  snow-  storm,  driving  fiercely  from  the  north-east, 
induced  the  noble  Montgomery,  to  order  an  at- 
tack on  the  fortress.  Our  force  altogether,  did 
not  amount  to  more  than  eleven  hundred  men* 
and  many  of  these,  by  contrivances  of  their  own*, 
were  in  the  hospital,  which,  by  this  time,  was 
transferred  to  the  nunnery.  The  storm  abated — 
the  moon  shone,  and  we  retired  to  repose,  truly 
unwillingly.  We  had  caught  our  commander's 
spirit,  who  was  anxious,  after  the  capture  of 
Chamblee,  St.  Johns,  and  Montreal,  to  add  Que- 
bec, as  a  prime  trophy  to  the  laurels  already  won. 
Captain  Smith,  the  head  of  our  mess,  as  captain, 
had  been  invited  to  general  Montgomery's  coun- 
cil of  officers,  (none  under  that  grade  being  cal- 
led,) like  most  of  uninstructed  men,  he  was  talk- 
ative, and  what  is  much  worse  in  military  affairs^ 
very  communicative.  I  believe  blushing  fol- 
lowed the  intelligence  he  gave  me :  the  idea  of 


112 

impropriety  of  conduct  in  him,  deeply  impress- 
ed my  mind.  The  whole  plan  of  the  attack  on 
the  two  following  days,  was  known  to  the  mean- 
est man  in  the  army.  How  it  was  disclosed,  is 
uncertain,  unless  by  the  fatuity  of  the  captains. 
One  Singleton,  a  sergeant  in  the  troops  Avhich 
accompanied  Montgomery,  deserted  from  the 
guard  at  the  suburbs  of  St.  John's,  and  disclosed 
to  our  foes  the  purport  of  our  schemes;  his  de- 
sertion caused  much  anxiety.  The  general  pru- 
dently gave  out  that  it  was  by  command,  he 
would  return  soon  with  intelligence.  This  was 
believed  generally.  The  latter  information  came 
to  my  knowledge  some  months  afterwards,  when 
a  prisoner.  The  relation  of  Smith  to  me,  is 
perfect  on  my  memory.  Youths  seldom  forget 
their  juvenile  impressions.  It  was  this:  "That 
"  we,  of  Arnold's  corps,  accompanied  by  cap- 
"  tain  Lang's  York  artillerists,  should  assail  the 
"  lower  town*  on  the  side  of  St.  Roque :  general 
"  Montgomery  was  to  attack  the  lower  town  by 
"  the  way  of  cape  Diamond,  which  is  on  the 
"  margin  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  A  false  attack 
"  was  to  be  made  eastwardly  of  St.  John's  gate. 
"  When  Montgomery  and  Arnold  conjoined  in 
"the  lower  town,  then  the  priests,  the  women 
"  and  the  children,  were  to  be  gathered  and  in- 
«<termingled  with  the  troops,  and  an  assault  be 
"  made  on  the  upper  town."  Visionary  as  this 
mode  of  attack  was,  from  what  ensued,  it  is 
sincerely  my  belief  that  Smith  was  correct  in 
las  information,  as  to  the  plan  suggested  by  the 
general.  In  those  turbulent  times,  men  of  gal- 
lantry, such  as  Montgomery,  were  imperiously 
necessitated,  to  keep  up  their  own  fame  and  the 
spirits  of  the  people,  to  propose  and  to  hazard 
measures,  even  to  the  confines  of  imprudence* 


113 

There  was  another  circumstance  which  induced 
our  brave  and  worthy  general,  to  adopt  active 
and  dangerous  means  of  conquest.  Many  o>f  the 
New -England  troops  had  heen  engaged  on  very 
short  enlistments,  some  of  which  were  to  expire 
on  the  first  of  January,  1776.  The  patriotism  of 
the  summer  of  seventy-five,  seemed  almost  ex- 
tinguished in  the  winter  of  seventy-six.  The 
patriotic  officers  made  every  exertion  to  induce 
enlistments,  but  to  no  purpose.  We,  of  the  "  ri- 
fle corps,"  readily  assented  to  remain  with  the 
general,  though  he  should  he  deserted  by  the 
eastern  men,  yet  this  example  had  no  manner  of 
influence  on  the  generality.  The  majority  were 
either  farmers  or  sailors,  and  some  had  wives 
and  children  at  home.  These,  and  other  rea- 
sons, perhaps  the  austerity  of  the  winter,  and 
the  harshness  of  the  service,  caused  an  obstinacy 
of  mind,  which  would  not  submit  to  patriotic  re- 
presentation. Besides  the  smallpox,*  which  had 
been  introduced  into  our  cantonments  by  the  in- 
decorous, yet  fascinating  arts  of  the  enemy,  had 
already  begun  its  ravages.  This  temper  of  the 
men  was  well  known  to  the  general. 

It  was  not  until  the  night  of  the  thirty-first 
of  December,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-five,  that  such  kind  of  weather  ensued 
as  was  considered  favorable  for  the  assault* 
The  forepart  of  the  night  was  admirably  en- 
lightened by  a  luminous  moon.  Many  of  us^ 
officers  as  well  as  privates,  had  dispersed  in 
various  directions  among  the  farm  and  tippling 
houses  of  the  vicinity.  We  well  knew  the  signal 
for  rallying.  This  was  no  other  than  a  "  snow- 
storm." About  12  o'clock  P,  M..  the  heaven 

*  See  Note  IV. 

K  fc 


114 

was  overcast.  We  repaired  to  quarters.  By  2 
o'clock  we  were  accoutred  and  begun  our  march. 
The  storm  was  outrageous,  and  the  cold  wind 
extremely  biting.  In  this  northern  country  the 
snow  is  blown  horizontally  into  the  faces  of  tra- 
vellers on  most  occasions — this  was  our  case. 

January  1st.  When  we  came  to  Craig's  house, 
near  Palace- gale,  a  horrible  roar  of  cannon  took 
place,  and  a  ringing  of  all  the  bells  of  the  city, 
which  are  very  numerous,  and  of  all  sizes.  Ar- 
nold, heading  the  forlorn  hope,  advanced,  per- 
haps, one  hundred  yards,  before  the  main  body. 
After  these,  followed  Lamb's  artillerists.  Mor- 
gan's company,  led  in  the  secondary  part  of 
the  column  of  infantry.  Smith's  followed,  head- 
ed by  Steele,  the  captain,  from  particular  caus- 
es>  being  absent.  Hendrick's  company  succeed- 
ed, and  the  eastern  men,  so  far  as  known  to 
une,  followed  in  due  order.  The  snow  was  deeper 
than  in  the  fields,  because  of  the  nature  of  the 
ground.  The  path  made  by  Arnold,  Lamb,  and 
Morgan,  was  almost  imperceptible,  because  of 
the  falling  snow  :  covering  the  locks  of  our  guns, 
with  the  lappets  of  our  coats,  holding  down  our 
heads,  (for  it  was  impossible  to  bear  up  our 
faces,  against  the  imperious  storm  of  wind  and 
snow,)  we  ran  along  the  foot  of  the  hill  in  sin- 
gle file*  Along  the  first  of  our  run,  from  Palace- 
gate,  for  several  hundred  paces,  there  stood  a 
vange  of  insulated  buildings,  which  seemed  to 
be  store-houses,  we  passed  these  quickly  in  sin- 
gle file,  pretty  wide  apart.  The  interstices 
were  from  thirty  to  fifty  yards.  In  these  inter- 
vals, we  received  a  tremendous  fire,  of  musket- 
ry from  the  ramparts  above  us.  Here  we  lost 
some  brave  men,  when  powerless  to  return  the 
salutes  \ve  received,  as  the  enemy  was  covered 


115 

by  his  impregnable  defences.  They  were  even 
sightless  to  us,  we  could  see  nothing  but  the 
blaze  from  the  muzzles  of  their  muskets. 

A  number  of  vessels  of  various  sizes,  lay 
along  the  beach,  moored  by  their  hawsers  or 
cables  to  the  houses.  Facing  after  my  leader, 
lieutenant  Steele,  at  a  great  rate,  one  of  those 
ropes  took  me  under  the  chin,  and  cast  me  head- 
long down,  a  declivity  of  at  least  iifteen  feet. 
The  place  appeared  to  be  either  a  drydock,  or 
a  sawpit.  My  descent  was  terrible  ;  gun  and 
all  was  involved  in  a  great  depth  of  snow.  Most 
unluckily,  however,  one  of  my  knees  received 
a  violent  contusion  on  a  piece  of  scraggy  ice, 
which  was  covered  by  the  snow.  On  like  occa- 
sions, we  can  scarce  expect  in  the  hurry  of  at- 
tack, that  our  intimates  should  attend  to  any 
other,  than  their  own  concerns.  Mine  went  from 
me,  regardless  of  my  fate.  Scrabbling  out  of 
the  cavity,  without  assistance,  divesting  my 
person  and  gun  of  the  snow,  and  limping  into 
the  line,  it  was  attempted  to  assume  a  station, 
and  preserve  it.  These  were  none  of  my  friends 
— they  knew  me  not.  We  had  not  gone  twenty 
yards,  in  my  hobbling  gait,  before  I  was  thrown 
out,  and  compelled  to  await  the  arrival,  of  a 
chasm  in  the  line,  where  a  new  place  might.be 
obtained.  Men  in  affairs  such  ,  as  this,  seem 
in  the  main,  to  lose  the  compassionate  feeling,, 
and  are  averse  from  being  dislodged  from  their 
original  stations.  We  proceeded  rapidly,  ex- 
posed to  a  long  line  of  fire  from  the  garrison^ 
fa»r  now -we  were  unprotected  by  any  buildings. 
The  fipe  had  slackened  in  a  small  degree.  The 
enemy  had  been  partly  called  off  to  resist  the 
general*  and  strengthen  the  party  opposed  to 
Arnold  in  our  front*  Now  we  saw  colonel  Ay- 


116 

nold  returning,  wounded  in  the  leg,  and  sup- 
ported by  two  gentlemen,  a  parson  Spring  was 
one,  and  in  ray  belief,  a  Mr.  Ogden,  the  other* 
Arnold  called  to  the  troops,  in  a  cheering  voice, 
as  we  passed,  urging  us  forward,  yet  it  was  ob- 
servable among  the  soldiery,  with  whom  it  was 
aiy  misfortune  to  be  now  placed,  that  the  co- 
lonel's retiring  damped  their  spirits.  A  cant 
term  "  We  are  sold,"  was  repeatedly  heard 
in  many  parts  throughout  the  line.  Thus  pro- 
ceeding enfiladed  by  an  animated  but  lessened 
fire,  we  came  to  the  lirst  barrier,  where  Arnold 
had  been  wounded  in  the  onset.  This  contest 
had  lasted,  but  a  few  minutes,  and  was  some- 
what severe,  but  the  energy  of  our  men  pre- 
vailed. The  embrasures  were  entered  wheu 
the  enemy  were  discharging  their  guns.  The 
guard,  consisting  of  thirty  persons,  were  either 
taken  or  Hed,  leaving  their  arms  behind  them. 
At  this  time,  it  was  discovered  that  our  guns 
were  useless,  because  of  the  dampness.  The 
snow,  which  lodged  in  our  fleecy  coats,  was 
melted,  by  the  warmth  of  our  bodies.  Thence 
came  that  disaster.  Many  of  the  party,  know- 
ing the  circumstance,  threw  aside  tiieir  own,  and 
seized  the  British  arms.  These  were  not  only 
elegant,  but  were  such,  as  befitted  the  hand  of 
a  real  soldier.  It  was  said,  that  ten  thousand 
stand  of  such  arms,  had  been  received  from 
England,  in  the  previous  summer  for  arming 
the  Canadian  militia.  Those  people  were  loath 
to  bear  them  in  opposition  to  our  rights.  From 
the  iirst  barrier  to  the  second,  there  was  a 
circular  course  along  the  sides  of  houses,  and 
partly  through  a  street,  probably  of  three  hun- 
dred yards,  or  more.  This  second  barrier,  was 
erected  across,  and  near  the  mouth  of  a  narrow 


117 

street,  adjacent  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  which 
opened  into  a  larger,  leading  soon  into  the  main 
lx;dy  of  the  lower  town.     Here  it  was,  that  the 
iH,;sl  serious  contention  took  place  :  this  became 
the  bone  of  strife.     The  admirable  Montgome- 
ry, by  this   time,  (though  it  was  unknown  to 
us,)  was  no  more;  yet,  we  expected  momentari- 
ly, to  join  him.     The  firing  on  that  side  of  the 
fortress  ceased,  his  division  fell  under  the  com- 
mand of  a  colonel  Campbell,   of  the  New- York 
line,  a  worthless  chief,  who  retreated,  without 
making  an  effort,  in  pursuance  of  the  general's 
original    plans.      The    inevitable  consequence, 
was,    that  the  whole  of  the  forces  on  that  side 
of  the  city,  and  those,  who  were  opposed  to  the 
dastardly  persons   employed  to  make  the  false 
attacks,  embodied  and  came  down  to  oppose  our 
division.     Here   was  'sharp-shooting.     We  were 
on  the  disadvantageous  side  of  the  barrier,  for 
such  a  purpose.      Confined  in  a  narrow  street, 
hardly  more  than  twenty  feet  wide,  and  on  the 
lower  ground,    scarcely  a  ball,  well  aimed  or 
otherwise,  but  must  take  effect  upon  us.     Mor- 
gan,   Hendrieks,     Steele,    Humphreys,    and    a 
crowd  of  every  class  of  the  army,  had  gathered 
into  the  narrow  pass,  attempting  to  surmount  the 
barrier,    which   was  about  twelve  or  more  feet 
high,   and  so  strongly  constructed,  that  nothing 
but  artillery,    could   effectuate  its   destruction. 
There    was*  a    construction,    fifteen   or  twenty 
yards,  within  the  barrier,  upon  a  rising  ground, 
the    cannon    of  which,    much    overtopped    the 
height  of  the  barrier,  hence,   we  were  assailed, 
by  grape  shot  in  abundance — This  erection  we 
called  the   platform.      Again,    within  the  bar- 
rier,   and  close  in  to  it,    were  two  ranges  of 
musketeers,  armed   with  musket  and  bayonet* 


118 


ready  to  receive  those,  who  might  venture  the 
dangerous  leap.  Add  to  all  this,  that  the  ene- 
my occupied  the  upper  chambers  of  the  houses, 
in  the  interior  of  the  barrier,  on  both  sides  of 
the  street,  from  the  windows  of  which,  we  be- 
eame  fair  marks.  The  enemy,  having  the  advant- 
age of  the  ground  in  front,  a  vast  superiority  of 
numbers,  dry  and  better  arms,  gave  them  an  ir- 
resistible power,  in  so  narrow  a  space.  Hum* 
phrey's  upon  a  mound,  which  was  speedily  erect- 
ed, attended  by  many  brave  men,  attempted  to 
scale  the  barrier,  but  was  compelled  to  retreat, 
by  the  formidable  phalanx  of  bayonets  within, 
and  the  weight  of  fire,  from  the  platform  and 
the  buildings.  Morgan,  brave  to  temerity, 
stormed  and  raged,  Hendricks,  Steele,  Nichols, 
Humphreys,  equally  brave,  were  sedate,  though 
under  a  tremendous  fire.  The  platform,  which 
was  within  our  view,  was  evacuated  by  the  ac- 
curacy of  our  tire,  and  few  persons,  dared  ven- 
ture there  again.  Now  it  was,  that  the  neces- 
sity of  the  occupancy  of  the  houses,  on  our  side 
of  the  barrier,  became  apparent.  Orders  were 
given  by  Morgan,  to  that  effect— We  entered— 
this  was  near  daylight.  The  houses  were  a  shel- 
ter, from  which,  we  could  fire  with  much  accu- 
racy. Yet,  even  here,  some  valuable  lives  were 
lost.  Hendricks,  when  aiming  his  rifle  at  some 
prominent  person,  died  by  a  straggling  ball, 
through  his  heart.  He  staggered  a  few  feet 
backwards,  and  fell  upon  a  bed,  where  he  in- 
stantly expired.  He  was  an  ornament  of  our 
little  society.  The  amiable  Humphreys  died 
by  a  like  kind  of  wound,  but  it  w  as  in  the  street^ 
before  we  entered  the  buildings.  Many  other 
brave  men  fell  at  this  place,  amon.s  these  were 
lieutenant  Cooper,  of  Connecticut?  and  perhaps 


119 

fifty  or  sixty  non-commissioned  officers,  and 
privates.  The  wounded,  were  numerous,  and 
many  of  them  dangerously  soe  Captain  Lamb, 
of  the  York  artillerists,  had  nearly  one  half  of 
his  face  carried  away,  by  a  grape  or  cannister 
shot.  My  friend  Steele,  lost  three  of  his  fin- 
gers, as  he  was  presenting  his  gun  to  fire  ;  cap- 
tain Hubbard  and  lieutenant  Fisdle,  were  also 
among  the  wounded.  When  we  rellect  upon  the 
whole  of  the  dangers  at  this  barricade,  and  the 
formidable  force,  that  came  to  "  annoy  us,  it  is  a 
«  matter  of  surprise,  that  so  many  should  es- 
"  cape  death  and  wounding,  as  did.*  All  hope 
of  success,  having  vanished,  a  retreat  was  con- 
templated, but  hesitation,  uncertainty,  and  a  las- 
situde of  mind,  which  generally  takes  place,  in 
the  affairs  of  men,  when  we  fail  in  a  project, 
upon  which,  we  have  attached  much  expecta- 
tion, now  followed.  That  moment  was  foolish- 
ly lost,  when  such  a  movement  might  have  been 
made  with  tolerable  success.  Captain  Laws, 
at  the  head  of  two  hundred  men,  issuing  from 
Palace-gate,  most  fairly  and  handsomely  cooped 
us  up.  Many  of  the  men,  aware  of  the  conse- 
quences, and  all  our  Indians  and  Canadians,  (ex- 
cept Natanis  and  another,)  escaped  across  the 
ice,  which  covered  the  bay  of  St.  Charles,  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  captain  Laws.  This  was  a 
dangerous  and  desperate  adventure,  but  worth- 
while the  undertaking,  in  avoidance  of  our  sub- 
sequent sufferings.  Its  desperateness,  consisted 
in  running  two  miles  across  shoal  ice,  thrown 
up  by  the  high  tides  of  this  latitude — and  its 
danger,  in  the  meeting  with  air  holes,  decep- 
tively covered  by  the  bed  of  snow. 

*  See  general  Nichol's  letter. 


120 

Speaking  circumspectly,  yet  it  must  be  admit- 
ted conjecturally,  it  seem*  to  me,  that  in  the 
-whole  of  the  attack,  of  commissioned  officers,  we 
had  six  killed,  five  wounded,  and  of  non-com- 
missioned and  privates,  at  least  one  hundred  and 
fifty  killed,  and  fifty  or  sixty  wounded.  Of  the 
enemy,  many  were  killed  and  many  more  wound- 
ed, comparatively,  than  on  our  side,  taking  into 
Yievv  the  disadvantages  we  laboured  under,'  and 
that  but  two  occasions  happened  when  we  could 
return  their  lire,  that  is,  at  the  first  and  second 
barriers.  Neither  the  American  account  of  this 
affair,  as  published  by  congress,  nor  that  of  sir 
Ciuy  Carleton,  admit  the  loss  of  either  side  to 
be  so  great  as  it  really  was,  in  my  estimation. 
It  seems  to  be  an  universal  practice  among  bel- 
ligerants  of  all  nations,  to  lessen  the  number  of 
the  slain  of  the  side  of  the  party  which  reports 
the  event,  and  to  increase  it  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy.  Having  had  pretty  good  opportunities 
of  forming  a  just  opinion  on  the  subject,  it  is 
Loped  that  gentlemen  who  have  thought  or  writ- 
ten differently,  will  not  disdain  to  listen  to  my 
argument.  As  to  the  British  ;  on  the  platform 
they  were  fair  objects  to  us.  They  were  soon 
driven  thence  by  the  aeuteness  of  our  shooting, 
which  in.  our  apprehension  must  have  destroyed 
Biany.  Perhaps  there  never  w  as  a  body  of  men 
associated,  who  better  understood  the  use  and 
manner  of  employing  a  rifle,  than  our  corps: 
which  by  this  time  of  the  attack,  had  their  guns 
in  good  order.  When  we  took  possession  of  the 
houses,  we  had  a  greater  range.  Our  opportu- 
nities to  kill,  were  enlarged.  Within  one  hun- 
dred yards,  every  man  must  die.  The  British* 
however,  were  at  home — they  could  easily  drag 
their  dead  out  of  sight,  and  bear  then*  woufcikd 


121 

to  the  hospital.  It  was  the  reverse  with  us. 
Captain  Prentis,  who  commanded  the  provost 
guards,  would  tell  me  of  seven  or  eight  killed* 
and  fifteen  or  twenty  wounded.  Opposed  to  this, 
the  sentries,  (who  were  generally  Irishmen, 
that  guarded  us  with  much  simplicity,  if  not 
honesty,)  frequently  admitted  of  forty  or  fifty 
killed,  and  many  more  wounded.  The  latter 
assertions  accorded  with  my  opinion.  The  rea- 
sons for  this  belief  are  these  :  When  the  dead, 
on  the  following  days,  were  transported  on  the 
carioles,  passed  our  habitation  for  deposition  in 
the  "  dead  house,"  we  observed  many  bodies,  of 
which  none  of  us  had  any  knowledge  :  and  again, 
when  our  wounded  were  returned  to  us  from  the 
hospital,  they  uniformly  spoke  of  being  sur- 
rounded there,  in  its  many  chambers,  by  many 
of  the  wounded  of  the  enemy.  To  the  great 
honor  of  general  Carleton,  they  were  all,  whether 
friends  or  enemies,  treaved  with  like  attention 
and  humanity.  The  reason  why  the  wounded 
of  our  side  bore  so  small  a  proportion  to  the 
dead,  seems  to  be  this  :  In  the  long  course  we  ran 
from  Palace-gate  to  the  first  barrier,  we  lost 
many  men  who  were  kilied  outright,  but  many 
more  died,  who  were  merely  wounded,  yet  in 
such  a  manner,  as  in  a  oalder  region,  to  make 
the  case  a  curable  one.  A  blow  from  a  ball  so 
large  as  thai  of  a  musket,  staggers  a  man, 
whether  the  wound  be  in  the  arm,  leg  or,  else- 
where; if  in  staggering,  he  falls,  he  comes  down 
into  a  deep  be*i  of*  snow,  from  which  a  hale  man 
finds  it  very  difficult  to  extricate  himself.  Five 
or  ten  minutes  struggling  in  such  a  bed,  be- 
numbs the  strongest  ma?i,  as  frequent  experi- 
ence has  taught  me;  if  the  party  be  wounded, 
though  but  slightly,  twenty  or  thirty  minutes 


122 

will  kill  him,  not  because  of  the  severity  of  the 
wound,  but  by  the  intensity  of  the  frost.  These 
are  my  opinions;  grounded  on  a  tolerably  dis- 
tinct and  accurate  knowledge  of  particular  cases, 
which  occurred  in  the  first  part  of  the  attack, 
and  a  variety  of  information  obtained  afterwards 
from  individual  sufferers,  who  were  persons  of 
credibility,  rescued  from  death  by  the  humane 
activity  of  governor  Carleton.  About  9  o'clock, 
A.  M.  it  was  apparent  to  all  of  us,  that  we  must 
surrender.  It  was  done.  On  this  occasion,  my 
friend  general  F.  Nichols,  by  his  own  native 
spirit,  perseverance  and  determined  bravery,  ob- 
tained an  honorable  distinction,  and  acknow- 
ledgment from  a  brave  and  distinguished  enemy. 
It  enhances  his  merit,  and  the  boon,  (when  we 
reflect  that  that  enemy  was  no  other  than  gene- 
ral Carleton,)  an  ornament,  such  as  would  grace 
any  nation,  whether  in  the  worst  or  best  of 
times.  Some  privates  came  to  lieutenant  Ni- 
chols, and  demanded  his  sword ;  the  requisition 
was  peremptorily  denied,  though  there  was 
great  risk  in  the  refusal.  He  retained  his 
sword,  till  meeting  with  captain  Endesly  of  the 
enemy,  to  whom  it  was  surrendered;  but  with 
the  exaction  of  a  promise  that  it  should  be  re- 
turned when  he,  the  captive,  should  be  released. 
In  the  August  following,  befV>re  our  embarka- 
tion for  New- York,  captain  Endesly  waited  on 
lieutenant  Nichols,  and  in  the  presence  of  all 
the  American  officers,  re-delivered  the  sword, 
under  the  assurance,  that  it  was  by  the  permis- 
sion and  command  of  general  Carleton.  This 
trait  in  the  character  of  Carleton,  adds  to  the 
celebrity  of  his  derivation,  and  manner  of  think- 
ing, and  casts,  into  a  dark  ground,  the  charac- 
ters of  most  of  the  principal  British  officer^ 


123 

particularly  the  Scotch,  \vlio  had  much  influ- 
ence in  those  days,  and  bore  towards  us  an  in- 
temperate hatred. 

The  commissioned  officers,  and  some  of  the 
cadets,  were  conducted  to  the  seminary,  a  res- 
pectable building.  It  became  my  lot,  in  one 
way  or  other,  to  be  lost  in  the  crowd,  and  to  be 
associated  with  the  non-commissioned  officers* 
in  the  company  of  some  of  whom,  ardent  and 
perilous  duties  had  been  undergone.  These  men 
are  by  no  means  to  he  lessened  in  character,  by 
contrasting  them  with  the  levies  made  in  Eu- 
rope, or  those  made  since  that  time  in  our  owrn 
country.  Many  of  our  sergeants,  and  even  of 
our  privates,  were,  with  good  educations,  sub- 
stantial freeholders  in  our  own  country.  Upon 
a  former  occasion,  you  were  told  the  story  of 
the  respectable  Dixon.  He  possessed,  (if  sor- 
did wealth  makes  the  man,)  twofold  the  riches 
of  his  captain  ;  and  if  it  be  permitted  me  to  de- 
cide upon  the  characters  of  men,  five-fold  his 
understanding,  activity  and  spirit.  Amiable 
Dixon!  Many  of  these  men, -in  the  progress  of 
the  bloody  scenes  which  ensued,  became  props 
of  our  glorious  cause,  in  defence  of  our  sacred 
liberties.  All  could  be  named.  Let  a  few  suf- 
fice. Thomas  Boyd,  so  often  spoken  of  in  the 
wilderness  for  his  good  humor,  his  activity  and 
the  intensity  of  his  sufferings;  struggled  glori- 
ously for  his  life  as  a  captain,  and  died  a  dread- 
ful death  by  the  hands  of  the  savages  in  1779,  in 
the  expedition  conducted  by  general  Sullivan 
against  the  Six-nation  indians.  *  Charles  Porter- 
field,  who  lost  his  life  in  the  battle  of  Camden, 
when  in  the  station  of  a  colonel.  Joseph  Aston^ 

*  See  Note  VII. 


124 

; 

of  Lamb's,  who  served  his  country  throughout 
the  war,  and  was  promoted  to  a  majority.  Doe- 
tor  Thomas  Gibson,  of  Hendrieks*,  who  died  in 
the  performance  of  his  duty,  at  the  Valley  Forge, 
in  the  winter  of  1778.  Robert  Cunningham,  a 
wealthy  freeholder  of  Smith's,  who  here  imbib- 
ed the  seeds  of  that  disorder,  which,  at  too  early 
an  age,  hurried  him  to  the  grave.  He  was  a 
younger  brother  of  that  excellent  citizen,  and 
frequent  representative  of  the  people  of  the 
Bounty  of  Lancaster,  James  Cunningham.  In 
short,  many  others  might  be  mentioned  in  the 
general,  as  worthy  and  well  informed  as  their 
superiors,  without,  in  anywise,  imputing  to  the 
latter,  in  so  saying,  the  slightest  degree  of  dis- 
paragement. This  will  always  be  the  case, 
when  the  great  body  of  a  nation  rises  in  its 
strength  to  defend  its  rights.  Those  who  un- 
derstand the  point  in  question,  in  a  national  dis- 
pute, and  are  most  strongly  impressed  with  its 
importance,  will  be  the  iirst  to  arm.  This  has 
been,  and  ever  will  be,  the  dispositions  of  men  in 
all  ages  past  or  to  come,  whenever  their  privile- 
ges are  invaded.  Offices  of  prime  importance, 
iannot  be  obtained  by  all.  Men  of  talents,  of 
genius  and  courage  must  step  into  subordinate 
stations.  Socrates,  Alcibiadcs  and  Demos- 
thenes, fought  in  the  ranks. 

God  in  his  great  goodness  grant,  in  the  future 
vicissitudes  of  the  world,  that  our  countrymen, 
whenever  their  essential  rights  shall  be  attack- 
ed, will  divest  themselves  of, all  party  prejudice, 
and  devote  their  lives  and  properties  in  defence 
of  the  sacred  liberties  of  their  country,  without 
any  view  to  emolument,  but  that  which  springs 
from  glorious  and  honorable  actions.  Pardon 
me  for  frequent  digression,  upon  this  subject 


125 

particularly,  as  my  whole  soul  was  bound  up  in 
our  cause,  you  must  forgive  me.  The  real  apolo- 
gy is,  we  were,  all  of  us,  enthusiastic  whigs. 

When  under  guard,  in  the  morning  of  the  first 
of  January,  colonel  M>  Dougal^  a  Scotch  gentle- 
man, near  noon,  came  to  review  us  :  his  person 
was  known  to  me  at  Detroit,,  as  an  intimate  of 
an  uncle,  three  years  before  this  time.  The 
colonel  was  naturally  polite  and  kind-hearted. 
When  it  came  to  my  turn  to  be  examined,  as  to 
name,  place  of  birth,  &c.  besides  making  the 
proper  answers  to  his  inquiries,  I  was  embol- 
dened to  declare,  that  he  was  known  to  me.  He 
seemed  surprised,  but  not  displeased  :  a  request 
was  immediately  added,  "that  he  would  order 
me  to  be  transferred  to  the  quarters  of  the  offi- 
cers." "  No,  my  dear  boy,"  said  lie,  "  you  had 
"  better  remain  where  you  are  j  the  officers,  as 
"you  are  in  rebellion*  may  be  sent  to  England, 
«  and  there  be  tried  for  treason."  The  advice 
of  this  venerable  veteran,  made  an  impression  on 
my  mind,  which  was  then  agitated  by  a  thousand 
vagrant  thoughts,  and  involved  in  doubt  and  un- 
certainty as  to  our  destination.  We  then  well 
knew  of  the  voyage  of  colonel  Ethan  Allen  to 
England,  and  the  manner  of  it ;  *  and  that  of 
George  Merchant,  our  fellow  soldier,  but  the 
consequences  were  unknown.  It  became  my  de- 
termination to  take  the  fatherly  advice  of  colo- 
nel M>Dougal,  for  it  was  really  delivered  in  the 
parental  style,  and  to  adhere  to  it.  He  brought 
one  of  his  sons,  whom  I  had  formerly  known,  to 
see  me  on  the  following  day.  About  mid-day  we 
were  escorted  to  a  ruinous  monastery  of  the  or- 
der of  St.  Francis,  called  the  Reguliers.  It  was 

*  See  Note  VIII, 


126 

an  immense  quadrangular  building,  containing, 
within  its  interior  bounds,  half  an  acre  or  more, 
of  an  area,  which  seemed  to  be  like  a  garden  or 
shrubbery.  The  monks,  priests  or  what  not, 
who  inhabited  the  house,  must  have  been  few  in 
number,  as  for  my  part,  not  more  than  half  a 
dozen  of  distinct  fuces,  came  into  my  view  while 
we  staid  here.  We  entered  by  the  ground  floor, 
(that  is  by  the  eellar,)the  building  on  that  side 
being  built  on  'lie  declination  of  the  hill,  which 
in  this  part  of  the  city  is  very  uneven.  The 
apartments  on  our  right,  as  we  entered,  seemed 
to  be  filled  with  governmental  stores,  and  of 
provisions  of  all  kinds.  They  made  us  ascend  a 
large  staircase  into  an  upper  story,  where  we 
were  complimented  with  two  sides,  or  rather  a 
part  of  each  of  the  sides  of  the  quadrangle.  The 
whole  building  would  have  accommodated  four 
thousand  men.  Monkish  spirit  must  have  been. 
in  high  vogue,  when  so  great  a  pile  could  be 
erected,  merely  from  the  alms  of  the  people, 
and  that  too,  for  so  egregiously  absurd  a  pur- 
pose. The  ranges  of  the  rooms,  though  exten- 
sive in  the  length  of  the  galleries,  were  small  in 
their  size,  being  scarcely  more  than  ten  by 
twelve  or  fourteen  feet.  The  galleries  were 
about  twelve  feet  wide;  many  rooms  were  com- 
fortable, others  were  dilapidated.  Ten  or  a  do-; 
sen  of  our  poor  fellows,  were  compressed  into 
one  of  these  small  rooms.  So  much  the  better, 
as  it  served  to  keep  them  the  warmer.  Boyd, 
Cunningham,  and  a  few  of  our  intimates,  took 
possession  of  a  room  near  a  large  stove.  The 
first  week,  we  slept  most  uncomfortably.  Gra- 
cious God  !  what  did  we  not  suffer. 

It  was  now  that  we  fully  learnt  the   destinies 
of  our  dear  and  revered  general,  anil  his  coropa;- 


127 

Dions  in  death.  But  allow  me  before  the  detail 
of  that  sad  story,  to  give  you  an  anecdote  :  The 
merchants  of  Quebec,  like  those  of  England  arid 
our  country,  are  a  spirited  and  generous  sect  in 
society  :  they  applied  to  governor  Carleton,  and 
obtained  leave,  to  make  us  a  «  new-year's-gift." 
This  turned  out  to  be  no  other  than  a  large  butt 
of  porter,  attended  by  a  proportionate  quantity 
of  bread  and  cheese.  It  was  a  present  which  ex- 
liili  rated  our  hearts,  and  drew  from  us  much 
thankfulness.  We  shared  more  than  a  pint  per 
man. 

General  Montgomery  had  marched  at  the 
precise  time  stipulated,  and  had  arrived  at  his 
destined  place  of  attack,  nearly  about  the  time 
we  attacked  the  first  barrier.  He  was  not  one 
that  would  loiter.  Colonel  Campbell,  *  of  the 
New- York  troops,  a  large,  good-looking  man, 
who  was  second  in  command  of  that  party,  and 
was  deemed  a  veteran,  accompanied  the  army  to 
the  assault;  his  station  was  rearward,  general 
Montgomery,  with  his  aids,  were  at  the  point 
of  the  column. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  you  a  fair  and  complete 
idea,  of  the  nature  and  situation,  of  the  place 
solely  with  the  pen — the  pencil  is  required.  As  by 
the  special  permission  of  goverment,  obtained  by 
the  good  offices  of  captain  Prentis,  in  the  sum- 
mer following;  Boyd,  a  few  others  and  myself, 
reviewed  the  causes  of  our  disaster;  it  is  there- 
fore in  my  power,  so  far  as  my  abilities  will 
permit,  to  give  you,  a  tolerable  notion  of  the 
spot.  Cape  Diamond,  nearly  resembles  the 

*  This  was  not  my  friend  Col.  Thomas  Campbell  of 
York,  (Penn.)  He  was  fighting  the  battles  of  our  coun- 
try  at  Boston. 


128 

great  jutting  rock,    which  is  iiTthe  narrows  at 
Hunter's  falls,  on  the  Susquehanna.    The  rock, 
at  the  latter  place,  shoots  out  as  steeply  as  that 
at   Quebec,    but  by  no  mean  forms  so  great  an 
angle,  on  the  margin  of  the  river  ;  but  is   more 
craggy.      There  is  a  stronger  and  more  obvious 
difference  in  the  comparison.      When  you  sur- 
mount the  hill  at  St.  Charles,  or  the  St.  Law- 
rence side,   which,   to  the  eye  are  equally  high 
and  steep,   you  find  on  Abraham's  Plains,  and 
upon  an  extensive  champaign   country.     They 
birds-eye  view  around  Quebec,  bears  a  striking 
conformity  to  the  scites  of  Northumberland  and 
Pittsburgh  in  Pennsylvania;  but  the  former  is  on 
a  more  gigantic  scale,  and  each  of  the  latter 
want  the  steepness  and  craggyness  of  the  back 
ground,    and  a  depth  of  rivers.     This  detail,  is 
to  instruct  you  in  the  geographical  situation  of 
Quebec,    and  for  the  sole  purpose  of  explaining 
the  manner  of  general  Montgomery's  death,  and 
the  reasons  of  our  failure.     From  Wolf's  cove, 
there  is  a  good   beach,    down   to,   and   around 
«  Cape  Diamond."      The  bulwarks  of  the  city, 
came  to  the  edge  of  the  hill,  above  that  place. 
Thence  down  the  side  of  the  precipice,  slanting- 
ly to  the  hrink  of  the  river,  there  was  a  stock- 
ade of  strong  posts,    fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high, 
knit  together  by  a  stout  railing,  at  bottom  and 
top  with  pins.     This  was  no  mean  defence,   and 
was  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred  yards,  from 
the  point   of  the  rock.      Within  this  palisade, 
and  at  a  few  yards  from  the  \ery  point  itself, 
there  was  a  like  palisade,  though  it  did  not  run 
so  high  up  the  hill.  Again,  within  Cape  Diamond, 
and  probably  at  a  distance  of  fifty  yards,  there 
stood  a  block-house,  which  seemed  to  take  up  the 
space,  between  the  foot  of  the  iiili,  uud  the 


129 

cipitous  bank  of  the  river,  leaving  a  cart- way, 
or  passage  on  r-ac'h  side  of  it.  When  height  hi 
and  distances  are  spoken  of,  you  must  recol- 
lect, that  the  description  of  Cape  Diamond  and 
its  vicinity,  is  merely  that  of  the  eye,  made  as 
it  were  running,  under  the  inspection  of  an  offi- 
cer. The  review  of  the  ground,  our  army  had 
acted  upon,  was  accorded  us,  as  a  particular 
favor.  Even  to  have  stepped  the  spaces  in  a 
formal  manner,  would  have  heen  dishonorable, 
if  not  a  species  of  treason.  A  block-house, 
if  well  constructed,  is  an  admirable  method  of 
defence,  which  in  the  process  of  the  war,  to 
our  cost,  was  fully  experienced.  In  the  instance 
now  before  us,  (though  the  house  was  not  built 
upon  the  most  approved  principles,)  yet  it  was  a 
formidable  object.  It  was  a  square  of  perhaps 
forty  or  fifty  feet.  The  large  logs  neatly  squar- 
ed, were  tightly  bound  together,  by  dove-tail 
\vork.  If  not  much  mistaken,  the  lower  story 
contained  loop-holes  for  musketry,  so  narrow, 
that  those  within,  could  not  be  harmed  from 
without.  The  upper  story,  had  four  or  more 
portholes,  for  cannon  of  a  large  calibre.  These 
guns  were  charged  with  grape  or  eauisister  shot, 
and  were  pointed  with  exactness  towards  the 
avenue,  at  Cape  Diamond.  The  hero  Montgo- 
mery came.  The  drowsy  or  drunken  guard, 
did  not  hear  the  sawing  of  the  posts  of  the  first 
palisade.  Here,  if  not  very  erroneous,  four  posts 
were  sawed  and  thrown  aside,  so  as  to  admit 
four  men  ahreast.  The  column  entered  with  a 
manly  fortitude.  Montgomery,  accompanied  by 
his  aids,  M'Pherson  and  Cheeseman,  advanced 
in  front.  Arriving  at  the  second  palisade,  the 
general,  with  his  own  hands 9  sawed  down  two 
of  the  pickets,  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  admit 


130 

two  men  abreast.  These  sawed  pickets,  were 
close  under  the  hill,  and  but  a  few  yards  from 
the  very  point  of  the  rock,  out  of  the  view  and 
fire  of  the  enemy,  from  the  block-house.  Until 
our  troops  advanced  to  the  point,  no  harm  could 
ensue,  but  by  stones  thrown  from  above.  Even 
now,  there  had  been  but  an  imperfect  discovery 
of  the  advancing  of  an  enemy,  and  that  only  by 
the  intoxicated  guard.  The  guard  fled,  the  gen- 
eral advanced  a  few  paces.  A  drunken  sailor 
returned  to  his  gun,  swearing  he  would  not 
forsake  it  while  undischarged.  This  fact  is  re- 
lated from  the  testimony  of  the  guard  on  the 
morning  of  our  capture,  some  of  those  sail- 
ors being  our  guard.  Applying  the  match,  this 
single  disehare,  deprived  us  of  our  excellent 
commander.* 

Examining  the  spot,  the  officer  who  escorted 
11%  professing  to  be  one  of  those,  who  first  came 
to  the  place,  after  the  death  of  the  general, 
showed  the  position  in  which  the  general's  body 
was  found.  It  lay  two  paces  from  the  brink  of 
the  river,  on  the  back,  the  arms  extended— 
Cheesernan  lay  on  the  left,  and  M'Pherson  on 
the  right,  in  a  triangular  position.  Two  other 
brave  men  lay  near  them.  The  ground  above 
described,  was  visited  by  an  inquisitive  eye,  so 
that  you  may  rely  with  some  implicitness,  on 
the  truth  of  the  picture.  As  all  danger  from 
without  had  vanished,  the  government  had  not 
only  permitted  the  mutilated  palisades  to  re- 
main, without  renewing  the  enclosure,  but  the 
very  sticks,  sawed  by  the  hand  of  our  comman- 
der, still  lay,  strewed  about  the  spot. 

Colonel  Campbell,  appalled  by  the  death  of 
the  general,  retreated  a  little  wa^  from  Cape* 

*  See  Note  IX. 


131 

Diamond,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  cannon  of  t\\e 
block-house,  and  pretendedly  called  a  council 
of  officers,  who*  it  was  said,  justified  his  reced- 
ing from  the  attack.  If  rushing  on,  as  military 
duty  required,  and  a  brave  man  would  have 
done,  the  block-house  might  have  been  occupied 
by  a.  small  number,  and  was  unassailable  from 
without,  but  by  cannon.  From  the  block-house 
to  the  centre  of  the  lower  town,  where  we 
were,  there  was  no  obstacle  to  impede  a  force 
so  powerful,  as  that  under  colonel  Campbell. 

Cowardice,  or  a  want  of  good  will  towards 
our  cause,  left  us  to  our  miserable  fate.  A 
junction,  though  we  might  not  conquer  the  for- 
tress, would  enable  us  to  make  an  honorable 
retreat,  though  with  the  loss  of  many  valuable 
lives.  Campbell,  who  was  ever  after  consider- 
ed as  a  poltroon  in  grain,  retreated,  leaving  the 
bodies  of  the  general,  M'Pherson  and  Cheese- 
man,  to  be  devoured  by  the  dogs.  The  disgust 
caused  among  us,  as  to  Campbell,  was  so  great 
as  to  create  the  unchristian  wish,  tffat  he  might 
befhanged.  In  that  desultory  period,  though  he 
was  tried,  he  was  acquitted  ;  that  was  also  the 
case  of  colonel  Enos,  who  deserted  us  on  the 
Kennebec.  There  never  were  two  men  more 
worthy  of  punishment  of  the  most  exemplary 
kind. 

On  the  third  or  fourth  of  January,  being  as 
it  were  domesticated  in  the  sergeant's  mess,  in 
the  reguliers,  a  file  of  men  headed  by  an  officer, 
called  to  conduct  me  to  the  seminary.  Adher- 
ing to  the  advice  of  colonel  M'Dougal,  the  in- 
vitation was  declined,  though  the  hero  Morgan, 
had  solicited  this  grace  from  governor  Carle- 
ton,  and  had  sent  me  a  kind  and  pressing  mes- 
sage. My  reasons,  which  were  explained  to 
Morgan?  in  addition  to  the  one  already  given, 


132 


operated  forcibly  on  my  mind..  Having  lost 
all  mv  clothes  in  the  wilderness,  except  those 
on  my  back:  and  those  acquired  by  the  pro- 
vident and  gratuitous  spirit  of  general  Mont- 
gomery, having  remained  at  our  quarters,  and 
become  a  prey  to  the  women  and  invalids 
of  the  army:  nothing  remained  fitting  me  to 
appear  in  company  anywhere.  Additionally, 
it  had  become  a  resolution,  when  leaving  Lan- 
caster, as  my  absence  would  go  near  to  break 
the  hearts  of  my  parents,  never  to  break  upon 
Biy  worthy  father's  purse.  Dire  necessity  com- 
pelled me  to  rescind  this  resolution  in  part,  in  the 
\viiderness,  but  that  circumstance,  made  me 
the  more  determined  to  adhere  to  the  resolve 
afterwards.  Again,  my  intimate  friends  were 
not  in  the  seminary.  Steele  was  in  the  hospi- 
tal,  and  Simpson,  by  previous  command  on 
charming  Isle  of  Orleans,  which,  from  its  fruit- 
fulness  had  become,  as  it  were,  our  store-house.;* 
\dd  to  all  these  reasons;  it  could  not  be  said 
of  the  gentlemen  in  the  seminary  « they  are 
iny  intimates,"  except  as  to  captain  Morgan, 
and  lieutenant  F.  Nichols  of  Hendrick's.  Be- 
sides my  leather  small-clothes,  all  in  fritters, 
liad  been  cast  away,  and  a  savage  covering 
adopted,  until  more  auspicious  times  came.  1 
even  now,  an  idea  of  escape  and  vengeance  in- 
flamed the  breasts  of  many,  and  we  were  here 
in  a  much  superior  situation  for  such  a  purpose, 
than  that  of  the  seminary.  More  of  this  here- 
after. All  these  facts  and  circumstances,  in- 
duced an  evasion  of  the  friendly  solicitation  of 
the  kind-hearted  Morgan. 

On  the  third  day  of  om-  rapture,  the  generous 
Carleton  despatched  a  flag  to  Arnold,  to  obtain 


*  See  Note  X. 


133 

\vhat  trifling  baggage  \ve  had  left  at  our  quar- 
ters; mine  was  either  forgotten,  or  miserable  as 
it  was,  had  been  plundered ;  but  as  good  luck 
would  have  it,  the  knapsack  of  of  one  Alexan- 
der Nelson  of  our  company,  who  was  killed  when 
running  to  the  first  barrier,  was  disclaimed  by 
all  of  our  men.  Your  father  in  consequence, 
laid  violent  hands  upon  the  spoil.  It  furnished 
Boyd  and  myself,  with  a  large,  but  coarse  blue 
blanket,  called  a  "  stroud,"  and  a  drummer's 
regimental  coat.  The  blanket  became  a  real 
comfort,  the  coat  an  article  of  barter.  It  was 
on  this  day,  that  my  heart  was  ready  to  burst 
with  grief,  at  viewing  the  funeral  of  our  belov- 
M!  general.  Carleton  had,  in  our  former  wars 
with  the  French,  been  the  friend  and  fellow- 
soldier  of  Montgomery.  Though  political  opin- 
ion, perhaps  ambition  or  interest,  had  thrown 
these  worthies,  on  different  sides  of  the  great 
question,  yet  the  former,  could  not  but  honor 
the  remains  of  his  quondam  friend.  About  noon, 
the  procession  passed  our  quarters.  It  was  most 
solemn.  The  coffin  covered  with  a  pall,  sur- 
mounted by  transverse  swords — was  borne  by 
men.  The  regular  troops,  particularly  that 
tine  body  of  men,  the  seventh  regiment,  with 
reversed  arms,  and  scarfs  on  the  left  elbow,  ac- 
companied the  corpse  to  the  grave.  The  funerals 
of  the  other  officers,  both  friends  and  enemies, 
were  performed  this  day.  From  many  of  us, 
It  drew  tears  of  affection  for  the  defunct,  and 
speaking  for  myself,  tears  of  greeting  and  thank- 
fulness, towards  general  Carleton.  The  soldie- 
ry and  inhabitants,  appeared  affected  by  the 
loss  of  this  invaluable  man,  though  he  was  their 
enemy.  If  such  men  as  Washington,  Carleton 
and  Montgomery,  had  had  the  entire  direction 


134 

of  the  adverse  war,  the  contention,  in  the  event, 
Uiight  have  happily  terminated  to  the  advantage 
of  both  sections  of  the  nation.  M'Pherson, 
Cheeseman,  Hendricks,  Humphreys,  were  all 
dignified  by  the  manner  of  burial. 

On  the  same,  or  the  following  day,  we  were 
compelled,  (if  we  would  look,)  to  a  more  dis- 
gusting and  torturing  sight.  Many  earioles, 
repeatedly  one  after  the  other,  passed  our  dwel- 
ling loaded  with  the  dead,  whether  of  the  assail- 
ants or  of  the  garrison,  to  a.  place,  emphatically, 
called  the  "  dead-house."  Here  the  bodies  were 
heaped  in  monstrous  piles.  The  horror  of  the 
sight,  to  us  southern  men,  principally  consisted 
in  seeing  our  companions  borne  to  interment, 
iincoffined,  and  in  the  very  clothes  they  had  worn 
in  battle  $  their  limbs  distorted  in  various  direc- 
tions, such  as  would  ensue  in  the  moment  of 
death.  Many  of  pur  friends  and  acquaintances 
were  apparent.  Poor  Nelson  lay  on  the  top  of 
half  a  dozen  other  bodies — his  arms  extended 
beyond  his  head,  as  if  in  the  act  of  prayer,  and 
one  knee  crooked  and  raised,  seemingly,  when 
lie  last  gasped  in  the  agonies  of  death.  Curse 
on  these  civil  wars  which  extinguish  the  socia- 
bilities of  mankind,  and  annihilate  the  strength 
of  nations.  A  flood  of  tears  was  consequent. 
Though  Montgomery  was  beloved,  because  of 
his  manliness  of  soul,  heioic  bravery  and  suavi- 
ty of  manners ;  Hendricks  and  Humphreys,  for 
the  same  admirable  qualities,  and  especially  for 
the  endurances  we  underwent  in  conjunction, 
which  enforced  many  a  tear:  still  my  unhappy 
and  lost  brethren,  though  in  humble  station, 
with  whom  that  dreadful  wild  was  penetrated, 
and  from  whom  came  many  attentions  towards 
me,  forced  melancholy  sensations.  From  what 


135 

is  said  relative  to  the  «  Dead-house,'5  you  might 
conclude  that  general  Carleton  was  inhumane  or 
hard-hearted.  No  such  thing.  In  this  northern 
latitude,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  according  to 
my  feelings,  (we  had  no  thermometer,)  the  wea- 
ther was  so  cold,  as  usually  to  be  many  degrees 
helow  o.  A  wound,  if  mortal,  or  even  other- 
wise, casts  the  party  wounded  into  the  snow ;  if 
death  should  follow,  it  throws  the  sufferer  into 
various  attitudes,  which  are  assumed  in  the  ex- 
treme pain  accompanying  death.  The  moment 
death  takes  place,  the  frost  fixes  the  limbs  it* 
whatever  situation  they  may  then  happen  to  be, 
and  which  cannot  be  reduced  to  decent  order, 
until  they  are  thawed.  In  this  state,  the  bodies 
of  the  slain  are  deposited  in  the  "dead-house," 
hard  as  ice.  At  this  season  of  the  year,  the 
earth  is  frozen  from  two  to  five  feet  deep,  im- 
penetrable to  the  best  pick-axe,  in  the  hands  oi 
the  stoutest  man.  Hence  you  may  perceive  a 
justification  of  the  "  dead-house/'  It  is  na 
newr  observation,  *6  that  climates  form  the  man- 
*»  ners  and  habitudes  of  the  people." 

On  the  next  day,  (January  4th,)  we  were  vis- 
ited by  colonel  Maclean,  an  old  man,  attended 
by  other  officers,  for  a  peculiar  purpose,  that  is, 
to  ascertain  who  among  us  were  born  in  Europe. 
We  had  many  Irishmen,  and  some  Englishmen,, 
The  question  was  put  to  each  $  those  who  ad- 
mitted a  British  birth,  were  told  they  must 
serve  his  majesty  in  colonel  Maclean's  regi- 
ment, a  new  corpe,  called  the  "emigrants/9 
Our  poor  fellows,  under  the  fearful  penalty  of 
being  carried  to  Britain,  there  to  be  tried  for 
treason,  were  compelled  by  necessity,  and  many 
of  them  did  enlist.  Two  of  them,  very  brave 
raen?  Edward  Cavenaugh  and  Timothy  Conner^. 


136 

deserve  to  be  named,  because  of  a  particular  oc- 
currence wliich  happened  shortly  afterwards  : 
These  two  men,  among  others,  called  upon  me 
for  my  advice  how  to  act.  Being,  at  that  time, 
neither  a  lawyer  nor  a  casuist,  they  had  my  opi- 
nion according  to  the  dictates  of  nature,  and 
some  slight  reading.  That  is,  that  they  should 
enlist,  for  a  constrained  oath,  as  theirs  would 
be,  could  not  be  binding  on  the  conscience :  and 
by  all  means  to  join  our  army  as  soon  as  practi- 
cable. They  enlisted  under  the  notion,  that 
the  oath  was  non- obligatory,  and  a  hope  of  a 
speedy  return  to  their  sweet-hearts  and  wives. 
Allow  me  here  to  recount,  by  anticipation, 
the  residue  of  the  adventures  of  "honest  Ned.'* 
It  is  due  to  him,  for  he  saved  iny  life,  and 
that  of  Simpson,  on  the  "Bead  river,5'  To- 
wards the  end  of  January,  Cavenaugh  and  Con- 
ner, happened  to  compose  a  part  of  the  same 
guard  at  Palace-gate,  where  the  walls  are  from 
Ihirty  to  forty  feet  high,  independently  of  the 
declivity  of  the  hill.  Cavenaugh  was  stationed 
as  a  sentry  in  conjunction  with  one  of  the  Bri- 
tish party.  Conner  had  procured  a  bottle  of 
rum ;  coming  to  the  station,  he  drank  himself, 
and  presented  the  bottle  to  the  British  sentry. 
While  the  latter  was  in  the  act  of  drinking,  Ca- 
venaugh gave  him  a  push  with  the  butt  of  his 
musket,  which  stunned  and  brought  him  to  the 
earth.  Taking  his  arms,  they  sprung  over  the 
wall  into  abed  of  snow,  perhaps  twenty-live  feet 
deep.  This  averment  concerning  the  depth  of 
the  snow,  may  appear  problematical,  as  we  know 
nothing  like  it  in  our  climate.  Form  no  defini- 
tive opinion  until  you  have  heard  the  reasons 
why  it  does  happen.  As  you  may  recollect 


137 

several  instances  in  this  memoir,  where  the  as- 
perity of  a  Quebec  winter  is  intimated,  and  a 
description  -of  .its  effects  attempted— such  as  fre- 
quent  snow-storms  and  fierce   winds.      In  the 
month  of  January,  particularly,  when  the  snow 
has  increased  to  a  depth  of  seven  feet  over  the 
face  of  the  country,  notwithstanding  the  shining 
of  the  sun,  the  cold  is  so  great,  that  those  winds 
drive  the  snow  daily,  against  the  high  ramparts 
of  the  city,  where  it  forms  a  compact  mass — the 
last  stratum  being  light  and  dry,  as  the  finest 
sand,  which  may  be  whirled  by  the  wind.  Cave- 
naugh  and  Conner  leaped  mid-deep  into   such  a 
soft  bed.     Their  disadvantage  consisted  in  sink- 
ing too  deep;  the  heighth  of  the  leap,  plunging 
them  deeper  than  ordinary  walking  would  do, 
made  it  difficult  for  them  to  extricate  themselves* 
The  relief-guard  came, in  time  to  give  them  a 
volley,  as  they  were  scampering  away.     Thanks 
to  God,  my  worthy  Irishmen  escaped  unharmed^ 
though  as  they  passed  through  St.  Roque,  they 
were    complimented   by    several   discharges    of 
eannister  and  grape-shot.     This   was  the   first 
notice  we  had  of  the  escape  of  our  daring  friends** 
We  heard  next  morning,  all  the   minutise  from 
those  who  guarded  us.  Cavenaugh  is  still  alive — - 
is  laborious,  and  has  a  large  family  of  children*, 
who  are  respectable  in  their  way.     You  cannot 
conceive  the  joyousness  of  my  heart,  when  hear* 
ing  of  him,  in  my   peregrinations  a  few  years 
since,  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  York  county* 
The  pittance  then  spared  him,  it  is  hoped  will 
make    you    never   the  poorer.     The   assembly 
of  Pennsylvania  have    granted   him  a  pension, 
for  which  that  honorable  body  have  my  most 
fervent  blessings.     Old  age  and  decrepitude,  by 
the  extremity  of  our  sufferingsris  brought  upon 
M.  £ 


us,  long  before  the  ordinary  allotments  of  na«^ 
ture.  We  served  our  country  faithfully,  and  at 
this  late  day,  it  is  really  pleasant  to  observe  the 
spirit  of  the  public,  inclined  to  compensate  the 
veterans  of  1775  and  1776.  So  much  for  my 
preserver  "  Honest  Ned,"  which  epithet  he  still 
bears  among  his  neighbors,  by  whom,  bating  a 
Yenial  vice,  he  is  esteemed.  Timothy  Conner,  on 
the  contrary,  possessing  the  art  of  acquiring 
wealth,  married,  had  a  competency,  but  lost  it 
subsequently  by  his  vices,  which  bore  a  strong 
affinity  to  gross  criminality. 

By  the  middle  of  January,  we  were  settled 
down  into  a  state  something  like  household  or- 
der :  those  who  could  economise,  fared  tolerably 
well,  though  they  could  have  used  more.  Our 
daily  provision  consisted  of  a  biscuit  made  of  a 
coarse  meal,  from  something  like  our  chopped 
Fye,*  very  often  chaff  or  straw,  half  an  inch  in 
length,  was  found  in  this  species  of  bread.  A 
biscuit  of  the  size  of  a  cake  of  gingerbread, 
BOW  sold  with  us  for  a  cent,  was  the  daily  allow- 
ance of  this  article  :  half  a  pound  of  pork,  or 
three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  beef,  though  these 
were  much  salted,  even  so  as  to  be  uncomforta- 
ble— they  were  of  Irish  preparation,  perhaps  for 
the  sea-service  :  a  competent  allowance  of  butter, 
originally  fine,  yet  now  rancid ;  candles,  molas- 
ses, and  even  vinegar :— this  last  article,  so  long 
as  it  could  be  afforded  us,  was  a  preservative 
iVom  the  disorders  which  unwittingly  we  were 
imbibing  daily.  Knowing  the  difficulties  under 
which  the  garrison  lay — foes  at  the  gates,  and 
an  uncertainty  of  succour;  the  governor  was 
thought  of  by  me,  with  similar  allowances,  that 
ought  to  be  made  to  our  own  generals,  in  cir- 
cumstances of  such  pinching  necessity.  From 


139 

all  information  attainable  on. our  part,  we  were 
as  well  treated  as  those  of  the  garrison*  who 
lived  on  the  same  kinds  of  food,  except  as  to 
liquor,  which  deprivation  was  more  beneficial 
than  injurious  to  our  men.  It  is  grateful  to  my 
heart,  now  to  remember  and  repeat,  the  benevo- 
lent sensations  this  mildness  and  humanity  cre- 
ated in  my  mind,  towards  the  virtuous,  the  amia- 
ble and  venerable  Carleton.  He  was  a  genuine 
representative  of  the  gentility  of  the  Irish  nation, 
which  is  so  deservedly  famous  for  the  produc- 
tion of  real  heroes,  patriotic  statesmen,  and  a 
generosity  and  suavity  of  manners.  He  was  of 
great  candour,  uprightness  and  honor,  and  full 
of  the  spirit  of  philanthropy,  which  marks  the 
real  gentleman.  He  made  us  several  visits,  in 
all  of  which  he  seemed,  merely  to  have  a  solici- 
tude for  our  welfare,  without  any  sinister  view, 
such  as  a  seduction  from  our  principles,  &c. 
That  he  granted  us  every  accommodation,  his 
trying  situation  authorized,  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  Shortly  after  the  time  now  spoken  of, 
we  were  conducted  to  the  Dauphin  jail.  Before 
we  quit  the  rrguliers,  admit  me  to  state  to  you 
something  more,  relating  to  our  manner  of  liv- 
ing there.  My  youthful  appetite  required  and 
demanded  a  greater  quantity  of  food  than  we 
then  enjoyed.  AVe  wanted  spoons,  not  only  in 
our  own  mess,  but  throughout  the  whole  corps. 
There  was  no  money  among  us  to  purchase  such 
an  implement,  and  if  there  had  been,  and  oppor- 
tunity had  offered,  it  is  likely  the  jealousy  of  go- 
vernment, would  have  deprived  us  of  them,  if 
formed  of  metal  of  any  kind. 

One  day  being  at  the  unloading  a  cord  of 
wood,  a  birch  stick,  the  only  piece  of  hard  wood 
iu  the  load,  was  eagerly  laid  hold  of,  and  born© 


140 

to  the  mess-room ;  from  this,  a  wooden  spoon 
was  soon  formed  for  my  own  use.  Lobscouse 
made  a  part  of  our  diurnal  food.  This  term, 
though  vulgar,  conveys  to  one,  who,  when  hun- 
gry, has  tasted  the  dish,  some  agreeable  ideas. 
Among  soldiers  and  sailors  it  is  esteemed  equal 
to  the  *fc  olla  podrida"  of  the  Spaniards,  and 
nearly  so  to  the  "  speck  and  oyer"  of  the  Ger- 
inans  ;  it  is  certainly  more  nourishing  than  what 
the  latter  call  «*  water  soup,"  and  even  "  meal 
soup".  We  put  our  vile  biscuit  into  a  tin  vessel  j 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water,  and  permit- 
edit  to  stew  on  the  stove,  until  there  was  a  per- 
fect mucilage,  some  thin  slices  of  hacon  fat,  (the 
reserve  of  the  last  meal,)  were  then  added  ;  or 
some  of  the  skimmings  of  the  boilers,  but  most 
usually,  the  rancid  butter,  (which  was  thus  made 
palatable  :)  when  these  substances  were  well  in- 
corporated with  the  biscuit ;  a  few  spoon-fulls  of 
molasses  finished  the  dish.  This  was  the  ordi- 
nary breakfast,  and  a  good  one,  when  we  could 
spoon  it  into  our  mouths.  JVly  spoon  therefore, 
was  an  article  in  great  demand,  and  of  prime 
necessity.  The  production  of  one  spoon,  creat- 
ed a  desire  for  more  ;  they  were  manufactured 
in  abundance,  by  the  means  of  two  knives — a 
great  and  a  small,  but  always  disposed  of  for 
biscuit.  Spoons  were  made  as  large  as  small 
ladles,  some  with  a  deer  at  full  stretch,  a  hound 
pursuing — an  Indian  sitting — a  beaver — and 
twenty  other  devices  were  invented,  and  tolerably 
well  carved.  Some  came  to  five  biscuits.,  some 
to  ten,  and  one  in  particular  at  twenty,  which 
my  friends,  thought  worthy  of  th<3  acceptance  of 
the  governor,  but  care  was  taken  not  to  present 
it.  Boyd  and  Cunningham  carefully  furnished 
the  wood.  Thus  we  coyid  exist  pretty  well  oji 


141 

our  slender  diet.  But  we  had  other  resources, 
which  were  by  no  means  neglected.  Henry 
Crone,  a  \vell  bred  young  man,  descended  from 
a  worthy  and  respectable  family  of  York  county > 
Pennsylvania,  much  my  senior,  but  who  was 
known  to  me  during  his  apprenticeship  at  Lan- 
caster, had  dissipated  a  good  fortune  at  the  gam- 
ing-tables;  he  was  a  sergeant  of  Hendrieks** 
Miserable  as  was  our  predicament,  the  demon 
of  play  had  intruded  itself  among  us,  though 
there  was  neither  money  nor  clothing,  but  that 
upon  our  backs,  and  our  daily  provisions  to  sport 
with.  The  play  was  for  biscuit,  and  most  usu- 
ally at  a  game  called  «  all-fours,"  in  which  Crone 
was  a  real  adept.  He  was  a  droll  dog,  and 
much  inclined  to  play  with  and  beat  the  Yan- 
kees, as  he  termed  them.  Many  mornings,  be- 
ing compelled  by  the  inclemency  of  the  season, 
to  leave  our  uncomfortable  bed,  pacing  the  ave- 
nues in  front  of  our  cells  tor  exercise  and 
warmth,  drawing  aside  the  curtain  of  the  gamb- 
ling room  door,  which  was  no  other  than  a 
thread-bare  blanket,  Crone  was  seen  and  heard, 
with  bleared  eyes  and  a  vociferous  voice,  after 
a  night's  sitting,  contending  for  a  biscuit,  with 
as  much  spirit  and  heat,  as  most  probably  he 
had  done  in  former  times  for  fifty  or  a  hundred 
dollars.  The  passion  of  gaming,  is  almost  an  in- 
explicable trait  in  the  human  character,  the 
poor,  the  rich,  the  savage  and  the  civilized,  are 
equally  its  devotees.  The  greatest  and  the 
least  are  alike  subject  to  its  fascinations.  Crone> 
poor  dog,  was  one  of  the  devoted. 

Montgomery,  in  his  care  for  Arnold's  party, 
besides  an  excellent  blanket  coat,  had  assigned 
to  each  man  a  new  red  regimental  coat  of  the 
seventh,  or  some  other  regiment*  stationed  ia 


142 

the  upper  country.  This  clothing  had  been 
seized  at  Montreal.  Crone,  in  the  divison,  had 
fared  well.  He  had  obtained  a  large  superfine 
broad-cloth  coat,  such  as  is  worn  by  the  serge- 
ant major  of  the  British  army,  which  "fitted 
him  like  a  shirt.5'  He  was  so  totally  devoid  of 
care,  that  he  never  once  applied  to  the  taylors 
of  the  army,  who  were  employed  by  the  public, 
to  fit  the  coat  to  his  buck,  and  to  sew  it  regu- 
larly. What  was  still  more  laughable,  he  had 
no  pockets  to  this  coat,  unless  you  may  call  the 
flannel  such,  which  interiorly  lined  the  lap- 
pets, and  bore  the  appearance  of  large  bags 
dangling  about  bis  heels.  Crone  was  facetious 
and  clever ;  he  had  an  affection  for  me.  Often 
about  daylight  he  would  come  to  my  blanket 
and  waken  me,  and  shake  the  lappets  of  his 
eoat.  He  would  say  "Damme  Jack,  here's 
some  thing  for  you,"  and  would  force  upon  me, 
ten,  fifteen,  and  several  times,  even  thirty  bis- 
euits.  With  all  his  vices  he  bore  a  great  share 
of  my  esteem,  for  the  goodness  of  his  heart. 
When  ill-luck  occurred,  there  was  a  refunding 
on  my  part,  but  it  seldom  happened.  Our  other 
resource  was  William  M>Coy,  a  sergeant  of 
Hendricks',  an  excellent  clerk,  who  came  into 
favor  of  the  Governor,  by  giving  to  major  Mur- 
ray of  the  garrison,  a  genuine  copy  of  his  journ- 
al of  the  route,  through  the  wilderness  into  Ca- 
nada. He  was  a  sedate  and  sensible  man.  He 
was  installed  "  clerk  of  the  kitchen,"  and  put 
me  much  in  mind  of  Gil  Bias'  clerk.  The  cook, 
whom  M'Coy  patronized,  was  a  very  Boniface 
in  accomplishments  and  a  Saneho  Panza  in  ro- 
tundity. He  was  of  Thayer's  or  Dearborne's 
company.  Believe  me,  that  these  two  men,  were 
courted  by  our  hungry  wights  among 


143 

ry,  with  as  much  eagerness  and  solicitude,  and 
often  sycophancy,  as  would  have  been  the  ease 
had  they  been  the  ministers  of  a  great  state. 
What  could  you  suppose  to  be  the  object  of  such 
servility?  To  explain. — The  boiling  utensils,  were 
two  very  large  coppers.  A  boiling  of  pork,  pro- 
duced a  great  quantity  of  liquid  fat,  which  the 
}nea  called  slush.  The  skimmings  constituted 
the  importance  of  the  cook,  who  made  a  profit 
from  it,  by  selling  it  to  certain  tradesmen  of 
the  city.  A  half  pint  of  this  slush,  was  a  good 
suceedaneum  for  better  food,  to  a  mess  of  six 
stout  men.  It,  with  the  molasses,  formed  an 
excellent  lobsconse.  Oleaginous  matter,  next 
to  bread,  is  however,  the  great  support  of  the 
animal  functions,  and  even  superior  to  bread, 
to  sustain  life,  and  gratify  the  palate.  Here 
you  see  the  real  ground  of  the  causes  of  distinc- 
tions ia  society.  The  cook  possessing  this  per- 
quisite, commanded  his  applicants  for  addition- 
al food,  with  an  unwarrantable  austerity.  As 
to  our  mess,  it  was  strong  in  habits  of  intimacy 
with  M'Coy,  who  was  one  of  us.  The  cook 
v/as  far  below  our  notice.  Friend  M'Coy,  gave 
us  every  advantage,  our  melancholy  situation 
afforded  him.  This  minute  information  is  given 
to  you,  to  inspire  you  with  a  disgust,  towards 
war  of  any  kind.  As  to  my  sons,  if  the  liber- 
ties of  our  country  ever  be  invaded,  it  is  hum- 
bly hoped,  under  the  protecting  hand  of  Provi- 
dence, that  they  will  always  be  ready  and  ac- 
tive, to  rally  round  the  standard  of  Freedom, 
the  principles  of  which,  we  derived  from  our 
forefathers,  whose  blood  freely  flowed  in  its 
defence. 

Coming  to  the  Dauphin  jail,  escorted  by  the 
sailitary,    we  found  it  well  accommodate*!  for 


144 

©ur  lodgment.  There  were  four  rooms  below* 
and  as  many  above  stairs,  all  capacious  and  well 
supplied  with  births  or  bulks,  in  the  common 
method  of  barracks.  Our  company  taking  the 
right,  our  precedency  in  the  procession  gave 
us,  assumed  the  possession  of  a  room,  in  the 
third  story,  which  was  in  truth  the  very  best. 
Morgan's,  took  a  room  immediately  below  us; 
Hendriek's  one  adjoining:  but  remember,  that 
at  this  time,  we  were  reduced  most  lamentably 
by  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  Many  were  in 
the  hospital.  Out  of  sixty-five,  who  came  on 
Abraham's  Plains,  in  November,  we  had  scarce- 
ly more  than  thirty,  left  with  us  in  prison. 
The  fire  of  the  enemy  and  disease  had  so  thin- 
ned us.  Morgan's  gallant  men  fared  worse. 
Like  the  eastern  people  before,  and  at  that  pe- 
riod, they  detested  the  introduction  of  the  small- 
pox into  their  country,  by  inoculation.  Now  they 
were  its  victims.  Less  than  twenty-five  of  the 
privates  of  that  company,  regained  their  native 
homes.  They  were  originally,  as  elegant  a  body 
of  men,  as  ever  came  within  my  view.*  To  use 
the  style  of  my  friend  Simpson,  "they  were 
"•beautiful boys,  who  knew  how  to  handle,  and 
«  aim  the  rifle."  Indeed  many  of  them,  adroit 
young  men,  courageous  and  thorough-going,  be- 
came the  subjects  of  death,  by  that  virulent  dis- 
ease, both  without  and  within  the  city.  We, 
of  Pennsylvania,  had  no  fears  from  that  source. 
This  disease  had  visited  us  in  youth,  either  na- 
turally or  by  innoculation.  This  observation, 
which  is  a  serious  one,  should  convey  to  your 
minds,  the  immensity  of  the  discovery  of  the  in- 
noculation of  the  kine  pock,  by  doctor  Jenner. 
The  discovery  of  the  causes  of  lightning,  it* 
dreadful  effects,  the  means  of  avoiding  its  power* 
*  See  Note  XI. 


145 

by  the  celebrated  Franklin,  our  countryman, 
is,  (as  il  -concerns  the  happiness  oi  man,  speak- 
ing diffidently)  perhaps  inferior  in  importance 
to  that  of  Jenner.  The  Jennerian  discovery, 
tends  to  save  the  lives  of  millions,  the  Frank- 
linian  of  hundreds.  But  all  lovers  of  natural 
philosophy,  are  compellable  to  acknowledge* 
that  the  identity  of  the  electric  fluid,  obtained 
artificially,  with  that  of  the  clouds,  has  given 
a  wider  scope  to  human  thought,  than  the  re- 
cency of  the  Jennerian  discovery,  has  as  yetp 
afforded.  There  can  be  little  doubt,  that  in  a 
succession  of  years,  some  gigantic  geniuses  of 
the  medical  profession,  will  improve  and  extend 
the  benefits  of  the  happy  disclosure. 

At  the  Dauphin  jail,  our  notions  of  escape 
were  strengthened.  The  prison  may  be  300 
yards  from  St.  John's  gate,  the  interval  a<  that 
time,  was  free  from  buildings.  From  without 
the  building  appeared  formidable.  The  court- 
yard, was  very  contracted  for  so  large  a  house, 
and  was  encompassed  by  a  strong  stone  wall,  at 
least  twenty  feet  high.  The  windows  and  doors, 
were  seemingly,  by  their  bars  impenetrable. 
But  what  cannot  men  of  true  spirit  effect,  when 
made  the  subjects  of  oppression.  Opposite  to 
the  jail,  across  the  street  leading  to  St.  John's 
g<ite,  at  a  distance  of  forty  yards,  there  stood 
a  house,  which  became  the  station  of  the  guard, 
who  superintended  us.  In  the  first  of  our  im- 
prisonment, we  were  attended  by  the  regu-ar 
troops,  or  sailors,  who  were  embodied  by  go- 
vernment as  soldiers?  but  now,  the  guard  Cas 
om*  force  without  had  made  a  firm  stand.)  was 
replaced  by  the  militia,  who  were  the  most  in- 
ert arid  despicable  of  military  men.  The  sen- 
tries were  stationed  on  the  outside  of  the  jail,— 
N 


146 

we  Jiad  no  witnesses  of  our  conduct  within,  ex- 
cept the  captain  of  the  provost,  who  did  not  pry 
with  a  suspicious  eye.  He  was  a  generous  and 
open-hearted  enemy— had  no  guile  himself,  nor 
imputed  it  to  others.  The  principal  defence  on 
this  side  of  the  city,  as  it  regarded  our  attempt 
at  evasion,  lay  at  and  near  St.  John's  gate.  The 
guard  here  was  most  usually  composed  of  thirty 
men,  of  the  regular  troops  or  sailors.  They 
would  have  given  us  a  hustle,  hut  of  a  certain- 
ty,  we  should  have  overpowered  them,  by  the 
force  of  numbers,  as  stout  and  as  able  bodied 
men  as  themselves,  whose  courage  was  not  to 
be  questioned,  though  there  was  a  great  differ- 
ence in  the  nature  of  our  respective  arms.  Hav- 
ing examined  the  jail  carefully,  its  imbecility 
to  restrain  us,  was  apparent.  It  was  an  old 
French  building  in  the  Bastile  style.  The  walls, 
of  stone,  and  more  than  three  feet  thick;  were 
impenetrable  by  any  of  our  means.  Upon  ex- 
amining the  bars  of  the  windows,  which  were 
originally  ill  constructed,  many  were  found  so 
much  corroded,  as  to  move  up  arid  down  in  the 
sockets.  These  could  be  taken  out.  The  mild- 
ness of  Governor  Carleton's  reign,  seemed  not 
to  require  a  strict  inspection  into  places  of  this 
kind.  About  this  time,  a  selected  council  was 
called,  of  which  your  father  had  ihe  honor  to 
lie  one,  and  was  chiefly  composed  of  the  serge- 
ants. The  present  major  Joseph  Aston,  of 
Lamb's  artillerists,  then  a  sergeant-major,  had 
the  presidency.  Our  discoveries  Were  disclosed 
~the  means  of  escape  considered,  and  a  con- 
sultation of  the  men  recommended.  This  was 
ilone,  and  there  was  not  a  dissentient  voice.  At 
the  stair  head,  there  was  a  small  room,  lighted 
by  a  small  window  ;  the  door  was  locked — Peep- 


147 

ing  through  the  keyhole,  large  iron  hoops  were 
discovered  :  the  spring  of  the  lock,  kindly  gave 
way  to  our  efforts,    the  room  was  ransacked  ; 
and  as  neatly  closed.      The  room  furnished  us 
with   a  large  number  of  strong  iron-hoops,  twa 
and  three  inches  broad,  and  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  other  iron,  of  different  shapes  and  sizes, 
deposited  there  as  lumber.     From  the  first  of 
these  articles,  we  formed  a  rough,  but  weighty 
species  of  sword,  with  a  wooden  handle,  a  blow 
from  which,    in  the  hands  of  one  of  our  stout 
men,  would  have  brought  down  one  of  the  stout- 
est of  the  enemy.     The  residue  of  the  iron,  was 
applied  to  the  formation  of  spear-heads, 
were  affixed  to  splits  of  fir-plank,  about  ten  feet 
in  length,  which  had  formed  in  part,  the  bot- 
toms of  the  lower  births.     These  weapons,  it  is 
true,    were   of  the  coarsest   make,    yet  in  the 
hands  of  men,  determined  to  sacrifice  their  lives 
for  freedom,    they    would  have  had  a  consider- 
able fcvviiy.      Our*  long  knives,  which  many   of 
us  secreted  when  captured,  also  became  spear- 
points.      These  weapons   were  concealed  under 
the  lower  range  of  births,  which  were  raised  a 
foot  from   the  floor.      The  planks  were  neatly 
raised,   the  nails  were  extracted,  and  the  nail- 
head,    with   a  part  of  its  shank,  placed  in  its 
former  position.      Over  these  lay  our  blankets, 
and  bundles.      It  was  a  standing  rule,  to  have 
two   sentries,    constantly  on  the  watch,  one  at 
each  end  of  the  interior  of  the  jail.    Their  duly 
consisted  in   giving  a  signal  of  the  approach  oi 
the   officers   of  the   garrison,    Mho  were  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  us  daily,  as  there  were  shoe- 
makers  and    taylors    among   us,    who   worked 
cheaper  than  those  of  the  city,  merely  for 
purpose   of  bettering  their  condition.      There 


148 

was  policy  in  this  watchfulness.  When  the  sig- 
nal was  given,  the  inner  doors  were  thrown 
open,  those  appointed  for  the  purpose,  laid 
upon  the  birth  which  hid  our  arms,  as  if  in  a 
drowsy  state.  The  officers  were  accosted  with 
assumed  confidence,  and  much  complaisance. 
The  council  met  daily,  sometimes  in  small 
squads,  and  when  any  thing  of  much  conse- 
quence was  to  be  considered,  in  larger;  but  at 
all  times  secretly,  or  at  least  not  obviously  as 
a  council,  from  a  fear  of  traitors,  or  some  in- 
discretion of  the  young  men.  Our  arrangements, 
so  far  as  my  judgment  could  discern,  were  ju- 
dicious. Aston  was  to  act  as  general,  M'Coy 
and  some  others  became  colonels.  Boyd  and 
others  of  the  most  spirit,  became  majors,  cap- 
tains, lieutenants,  &c.  That  which  cheered  me 
much,  was  that  the  council  assigned  me,  a  first 
lieutenancy  under  my  friend  Boyd,  whose  vigor 
and  courage  were  unquestionable. 

The  plan  of  the  escape  was  thus  :  Aston  who 
•was  an  excellent  engineer,  was  to  have  the 
particular  superintendency  of  Lamb's  company, 
which  to  a  man  was  well  informed  in  their  duty, 
active  and  spirited.  These  were  to  be  increased 
to  a  band  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  attack  the  guard  at  St.  John's 
gate.  The  attack  of  the  guard  opposite  the 
jail,  was  assigned  to  the  discretion  of  Boyd, 
Cunningham  and  myself;  the  council  generous- 
ly, giving  us  the  authority  of  a  first  selection  of 
twenty  two  persons,  from  the  whole  body  of  our 
men.  The  residue  of  our  force,  was  so  disposed 
of,  as  to  act  as  a  body  of  reserve  to  Aston,  un- 
der the  command  of  M'Coy,  and  another  smal- 
ler body  was  reserved  to  support  Boyd,  particu- 
larly by  way  of  setting  fire  to  the  jail,  the  guard 


149 

house,  and  the  buildings  in  its  neighborhood,  to 
amuse  or  employ  the  enemy,  while  we  were  run- 
ning to  St.  John's  gate.  It  was  expected  we 
could  arrive  there,  by  the  time  Aston  and  his 
party  would  be  victorious.  Our  particular  duty 
was  of  the  desperate  kind,  something  of  the  na*- 
ture  of  the  "  forlorn-hope."  Nothing  but  the 
virtue  and  bravery  of  our  comrades,  could  en- 
sure the  safety  of  our  lives  ;  for  if  they  should 
arrive  at  St.  John's  gate,  and  discomfit  the 
guard  ;  and  if  then  seeking  safety  by  flight,  they 
would  leave  us  to  the  mercy  of  an  enraged  ene- 
my, who  would  sacrifice  us  to  their  fury.  But 
there  has  been  too  much  precipitation  in  the  re- 
lation. Previously  to  the  last  observations,  be- 
sides being  told  of  our  force,  dur  weapons,  and 
our  military  plans,  you  should  have  been  inform- 
ed also,  of  the  real  site  of  the  jail — of  its  in- 
ternal structure,  from  which  the  sally  was  to  be 
made.  The  Dauphin  jail  is  built  on  a  plain, 
pretty  much  declined  towards  the  street.  It  fol- 
lows, that  the  front  of  the  lower  story,  that  is 
the  cellars,  was  on  a  level  with  the  street.  The 
back-ground  was  ten  or  twelve  feet  higher.  In 
the  cellar,  near  the  foot  of  the  stairway,  there 
was  a  plenteous  fountain  of  water,  which  suppli- 
ed the  house.  The  conduits  leading  from  the 
spring,  by  the  severity  of  the  weather,  were  im- 
peded by  ice,  so  that  the  water,  in  great  quan- 
tity remained  in  the  cellar,  which,  with  the  addi- 
tional carelessness  of  our  people,  who  cast  the 
rinsing  of  their  buckets,  on  the  floor  of  the 
apartment,  formed  a  bed  of  ice  a  foot  thick, 
and  very  firm  and  solid.  This  cellar  had  a 
door  newly  made,  of  strong  pine  plank,  five  feet 
in  width,  which  opened  inwards — the  sill  was 
level  with  the  street.  The  door  was  hung  upon 


150 

II.  hinges  of  a  large  size,  fixed  on  the  inside, 
exposed  to  our  view  and  operations.  But  what 
was  still  more  absurd,  the  door  was  hasped 
within,  and  secured  by  a  large  pad-lock.  Close 
inspection,  and  thoughtfulness,  had  made  the 
members  of  the  council*  by  the  means  they  en- 
joyed, perfect  masters  of  those  hinges  and  the 
lock;  they  would  not  have  stood  a  second  of 
time.  The  principle  obstacle  was  the  ice, 
which  was  raised  fully  a  foot  against  the  door. 
Even  this  would  have  given  way  to  our  ingenui- 
ty. The  whole  of  our  plan  was  well  laid,  and 
thoroughly  digested.  That  door  was  to  be  our 
sally-port.  Boyd  preceding  with  our  division — 
Aston  and  M'Coy  following,  they  turning  rapid- 
ly to  the  left  for  St.  John's  gate*.  The  disloca- 
tion of  the  iron  bars  of  the  windows,  was  to  en- 
sue :  all  those  which  could  be  removed,  being 
known,  were  to  become  issues  for  our  bravest 
men.  Every  man  knew  his  station.  It  is  a  a 
old  and  a  trite  observation,  that  it  is  a  difficult 
thing  to  describe  a  battle,  so  as  to  give  a  clear 
Idea  of  all  the  causes  and  effects  of  each  move- 
ment* without  overloading  and  confusing  the  pic- 
ture. The  same  may  be  said  of  a  conspiracy 
such  as  ours.  Going  through  the  entry  from 
the  front  door  into  the  jail-yard,  near  the  back 
door,  but  still  within  the  prison,  there  are  two 
cavities  opposite  to  each  other,  strongly  waited 
and  arched.  We  called  them  the  black  holes* 
On  the  outside  of  the  building,  in  the  yard, 
those  cavities  assumed  the  forms  of  banks,  ten 
or  eleven  feet  high,  and  as  wide  ;  and  well  sod- 
ded. With  some  address  and  agility,  a  sprightly 
man  could  surpass  either  of  them.  The  wall 
above  those  banks  was,  probably  ten  feet  higher. 
In  the  daytime  wre  often  climbed  up  the  wall* 


151 

by  means  of  its  interstices,  from  \vhi<*h  the  mor- 
tar had  fallen  in  the  course  of  time,  to  take  a 
peep  at  the  city,  merely  putting  our  eyes  above 
the  level  of  the  top  of  it. 

A  Mr.  Martin,  a  hardy,  daring  and  active 
young  man,  of  Lamb's  company,  I  think  a  ser- 
geant, proposed  to  bear  intelligence  of  our  pro- 
jects, to  the  American  commander,  without  the 
Avails.  His  plan  was  approved.  A  time  for  ir- 
ruption was  named,  though  the  day  was  not  par- 
ticularised. The  signals  to  invite  the  advance 
of  our  army  to  St.  John's  gate,  were  the  burning 
of  the  houses,  and  the  firing  of  the  guns  of  the 
ramparts  towards  the  city.  As  yet,  we  were  un- 
prepared to  move.  This  expedition  of  Martin's 
was  profoundly  a  secret  among  those  of  the 
council,  from  a  fear  that  some  bungler  might 
attempt  the  same  path,  fail,  and  by  las  being 
taken,  unveil  our  plots.  Permit  me  a  short  epi- 
sode on  the  escape  of  Martin.  It  was  singularly 
adventurous,  and  the  neatness  of  its  execution, 
renders  it  worthy  of  remark.  I  had  the  plea- 
sure of  hearing  it  recounted,  in  more  hippy 
times,  at  New- York.  Martin  was  dtvssed  in 
warm  clothing,  with  good  gloves ;  a  white  cap, 
shirt  and  overalls  were  prepared  for  him.  He 
appeared  in  the  jail-yard  among  the  prisoners, 
in  his  daily  dress.  The  time  of  locking  up,  arid 
calling  the  roll,  generally  happened  about  sun- 
down. It  was  the  business  of  the  captain  of  the 
provost,  who  was  accompanied  by  a  file  of  men. 
The  prisoners,  instigated  by  those  in  the  secret, 
employed  themselves  out  of  doors,  until  late  in 
the  evening,  in  play,  as  if  to  keep  their  bodies 
warm.  It  was  a  blowing  and  dreary  evening, 
which  was  purposely  chosen.  At  locking  up, 
those  in  the  secret  lagged  behind,  tardily,  push- 


ing  the  uninformed  before,  yet  so  slowly,  as  ef~ 
feetually  to  crowd  the  gangway  ;  Martin  remain- 
ing in  the  rear.  The  operation  took  place  at 
the  clanging  of  the  lock  of  the  great  front  door. 
This  measure  was  imagined  and  effected  on  pur- 
pose to  procure  to  Martin,  a  sufficiency  of  lei- 
sure to  get  to  his  hiding  place,  which  was  no- 
other  than  a  nook*  formed  by  the  projection  of 
the  door- way,  and  on  the  top  of  one  of  the  banks 
before  spoken  of.  He  re.  he  had  time  to  put  orc 
his  cap,  shirt,  &e.  The  officer  who  examined 
the  yard,  could  not  perceive  him.  unless  he  went 
out  of  the  door,  several  paces  to  the  left,  and 
most  probably,  not  even  then,  for  Martin  would 
he  covered  in  the  snow,  and  imperceptible. 
Happily  the  officer  went  no  further  than  the 
threshold,  and  made  but  a  slight  survey  of  the 
yard.  This  account,  so  Air,  is  derived  from 
my  own  knowledge  ;  what  follows,  is  from  Mar- 
tin himself.  *<  Martin  tarried  there  until  seven 
or  eight  o'clock.  The  dilemma  he  was  in,  could 
only  be  surpassed  in  imminence  of  danger,  by 
his  extreme  activity,  skill  and  courage.  There 
were  four  sentries  stationed  around  the  jail — 
two  at  each  corner  in  front,  and  the  like  number 
at  the  corners  of  the  yard  in  the  rear.  Those 
sentries,  though  relieved  every  quarter  of  an 
hour,  were  soon  driven  into  the  sentry-boxes,  by 
the  cold  and  keenness  of  the  whistling  winds. 
If  they  had  paced  the  spaces  allotted  them  by 
duty,  the  escape  of  Martin  must  have  been  im- 
possible. Watching  the  true  time,  he  slipped 
down  the  wall  into  the  deep  snow  underneath 
unobserved.  Hence,  he  made  a  sudden  excur- 
sion to  the  left  of  St.  John's  gate,  at  a  part  of 
the  wall,  where  he  well  knew  no  sentry  was 
placed.  Leaping  the  wail,  into  the  snow,  he 


153 

received  the  fire  of  a  distant  sentry-  Martin 
was  unharmed.  The  soldier  fired,  as  it  were, 
at  a  phantom,  for  when  Martin's  body  came  in- 
to contact  with  the  snow,  it  was  undiscernible — 
the  desired  information  was  given  ;'5  but  of  this, 
we  could  merely  make  surmises  until  the  May 
following.  That  which  is  very  remarkable  is, 
that  the  absence  of  Martin  was  unknown  to  go- 
vernment, until  the  explosion  of  our  plot. 

Our  next  solicitude  was  the  acquisition  of 
powder.  This  article  could  be  obtained  but  by 
sheer  address  and  shrewd  management.  But 
we  had  to  do  with  men  who  were  not  of  the  mili- 
tary cast.  We  began  first  to  enter  into  famili- 
arity with  the  sentries,  joking  with  them  and 
pretending  to  learn  French  from  them.  The 
guard,  usually  of  Canadians,  consisted  of  many 
old  men,  and  young  boys,  who  were  very  "  com- 
ing." A  few  small  gun-carriages  were  con- 
structed, not  more  than  six  inches  in  length, 
and  mounted  with  cannon,  or  howitzers,  which 
were  made  of  many  folds  of  paper,  and  were 
bound  tightly  around  with  thread.  These  were 
shewn  to  the  sentries  from  time  to  time,  and  a 
little  powder  wras  requested,  with  which  to 
charge  them.  Our  births  formed  an  angle  of 
the  room.  The  upper  births,  as  well  as  the 
lower,  had  a  ledge  of  several  inches  in  heighth, 
in  which,  embrasures  were  formed  with  the 
knife.  Two  parties  were  raised  in  opposition  to 
each  other,  each  of  which  took  possession  of 
one  side  of  the  angle.  The  blaze  and  report, 
which  was  nearly  as  great  and  as  loud  as  that  of 
small  pistols,  created  much  laughter  and  merri- 
ment. This  sport,  the  child  of  a  seeming  folly, 
served  us  as  a  pretence  and  justification  for  soli- 
citing powder.  The  apparent  joy  prevailing 


154 

among  us,  pleased  the  Canadians,  both  old  and 
young,  and  did  not  alarm  the  government.  We 
obtained  many  cartridges  in  the  course  of  a  lew 
weeks,  two-thirds  of  which  came  to  the  hands  of 
Aston  and  his  corps,  for  the  purpose  of  manu- 
facturing' matches.  &c.  &c.  Fire  arms  of  any 
kind,  could  not  by  any  finesse  be  procured.  The 
commerce  of  cartridges,  accompanied  by  a  suavi- 
ty and  deference  of  manners,  towards  our  young 
friends,  procured  us  many  quarters  of  pounds  of 
powder,  which  they  bought  secretly  out  of 
funds,  some  of  which  were  procured  in  a  ludi- 
crous way.  We  had  many  sick  in  the  hospital, 
for  when  any  one  appeared  to  be  disordered  in 
the  least  degree,  he  was  hurried  to  the  infirma- 
ry, when  cured,  he  was  returned  to  us.  Some 
of  the  men,  went  so  far  as  to  feign  sickness,  to 
get  to  that  place,  where  they  lived  in  a  more 
sumptuous  style  than  that  of  the  jail.  The  fre- 
quent removals  caused  the  propagation  of  a  re- 
port that  the  prison  was  unhealthy.  Many  pi- 
ous matrons,  came  to  see  us,  and  never  empty 
handed.  Some  elderly  nuns,  of  respectable  fami- 
lies, were  of  the  number,  and  generally  brought 
money,  truly  not  great  in  quantity,  but  not  the 
less  acceptable  to  the  sick  and  convalescent,  as 
these  alms  procured  them  some  slight  comforts* 
§ueh  as  tea,  &e.  These  were  the  religious  and 
humane  collections  of  the  sisterhood,  and  mostly 
consisted  of  the  smallest  change.  There  was  a 
beautiful  countenanced  youth,  Thomas  Gibson, 
first  sergeant  of  Hendrieks,  who  had  studied 
physic  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  allied  to  me  by 
affinity 9  who  had,  probably  from  a  knowlege  he 
had  of  his  profession,  sustained  his  health  hith- 
erto ;  his  cheeks  were  blooming  as  roses.  He 
was  one  of  the  council.  As  young  men,  we  car 


9 


155 

od  little  about  the  means,  so  that  >ve  obtained 
the  end,  which  was  powder.  We  lived  above 
stairs,  and  never  shared  in  the  gratuities  of  the 
ladies,  which  were  rapaciously  awaited  at  the 
entrance  of  the  prison.  Gibson  and  myself,  were 
standing  at  a*  window  near  the  great  door,  and 
opposite  to  M'Coy's  room,  a  neat  little  box, 
which  had  been  knocked  up  for  his  purposes. 
Looking  into  the  street,  a  lady  with  a  thick  veil, 
was  observed  to  take  the  path  through  the  snow 
to  our  habitation.  "  Zounds  Gibson,  there's  a 
nun,"  was  scarcely  expressed,  before  lie  was 
hurried  into  McCoy's  apartment  and  put  to  bed 
though  dressed.  Severals  of  «s  waited  respect- 
fully at  the  door,  till  the  officer  of  the  guard 
unlocked  it.  The  nun  entered — she  seemed, 
from  her  manners,  to  be  genteel  and  respectable. 
We  were  most  sedulous  in  our  attentions  to  the 
lady,  and  so  prevailed,  as  to  induce  her  to  come 
into  McCoy's  room.  Here  lay  Gibson,  covered 
to  the  chin  with  the  bed-clothes,  nothing  expos- 
ed but  his  beautiful  hair  and  red  cheeks,  the  lat- 
ter indicating  a  high  fever.  It  was  well  the  lady 
was  no  physician.  The  nun  crossing  herself, 
and  whispering  a  pater-noster,  poured  the  con- 
tents of  her  little  purse  into  the  haml  of  the  pa- 
tient, which  he  held  gently,  without  the  blanket- 
ing, and  left  us.  What  should  the  donation  be* 
bat  twenty-four  coppers,  equal  at  that  time  to 
two  shillings  of  our  money.  The  latter  circum- 
stance added  much  to  the  humor,  and  extreme 
merriment  of  the  transaction.  This  money  tvas 
solely  appropriated  for  powder.  Thus,  careless 
of  every  thing  but  the  means  of  escaping,  we  en- 
joyed many  merry,  and  even  happy  hours.  As- 
ton, who  was  provident  of  time,  by  the  middle  of 
March,  (I  have  no  note  of  the  precise  period,) 
had  all  his  matters  of  arrangement  in  good  order. 


156 

The  council  assigned  a  day  for  the  irrup- 
tion. As  we  dared  not  touch  the  door  in  Hie 
cellar,  from  a  fear  of  discovery  by  inspection, 
(and  it  was  examined  almost  daily,)  it  was  de- 
termined to  postpone  the  unloosing  the  hinges 
and  lock,  which  were  under  our  command,  un- 
til the  moment  of  escape.  It  became  a  main 
question,  how  to  remove  the  ice  at  the  foot  of 
the  door.  Here  lay  the  great  difficulty,  as  it  was 
universally  agreed  that  the  door  must  be  drag- 
ged down  suddenly,  so  that  we  might  inarch 
over  it.  Remember  also,  that  a  sentry  was 
posted  not  more  than,  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
feet  from  the  outside  of  the  door.  Many  pro- 
positions were  made  in  council,  how  to  effect 
the  removal  of  the  body  of  ice  without  exposure 
to  detection.  One  was  lightly  to  pick  it  away 
with  hatchets,  a  few  of  which,  had  been  secret- 
ly retained,  by  the  prisoners,  and  brought  into 
the  jail.  To  this,  there  were  several  insuper- 
able objections  :  the  softest  stroke  of  the  light- 
est tomahack,  upon  the  ice,  would  be  heard  by 
a  sentry  so  near;  or  an  unlucky  stroke  might 
touch  the  door,  which  would  resound  and  ine- 
vitably cause  a  discovery.  Oihers  proposed  to 
wear  away  the  ice  by  boiling  water;  two  most 
obvious  objections  lay  here:  the  steam  would 
search  for  a  vent  through  the  crevices  of  the 
door,  and  window,  and  develop  our  measures ; 
besides  the  extreme  cold  would  have  congealed 
the  hot  water,  the  moment  it  fell,  so  as  to  add 
to  our  difficulties.  Another  idea  was  suggested, 
that  was  "  with  knives  to  cut  the  door  across 
on  the  surface  of  the  ice,"  to  this  plan  there 
was  a  fatal  exception,  the  ice  had  risen  on  the 
lower  cross-piece  of  the  door,  nearly  :*n  inch, 
so  that  we  must  cut  through  the  cross-piece 


1ST 

lengthwise,  ami  through  the  thick  plank 
wise.     Though  this  labour  might  have  been  ac* 
complished   by  industry  ami  perseverance,  yet 
the  time  it  would  necessarily  take,  would  cause 
a  discovery  by  the  searchers.     The  last  and  on*. 
ly  method  to  avoid  discovery,  was  adopted.  This 
was  to   embody  sixteen  or  eighteen  of  the  most 
prudent   men,    who  knew  the  value  of  silence, 
who  should,  two  and  two,  relieve  each  other,  and 
with  our  long  knives  gently  pare  away  the  iee> 
next  the  sill  of  the  door,  so  as  to  make  a  groove 
•of   four    or    six    inches    wide,    parallel    with, 
and  deep  as  the  sill.     The  persons  were  named 
and  appointed  to  this  service.     Now  the  capabi- 
lity of  the  execution  of  our  plot,  infused  comfort 
and  joy  into  all  hearts.     It  was  intended  imme- 
diately after  locking- up,    on  the  night  of  the 
irruption,    that  those  prudent  men,  should  des^- 
eend   into   the   vault  by  pairs,  and  by  incessant 
labour,  have  the  work  finished  by  three  -o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  the  sally  should  be  made. 
We  had  carefully  noticed  from  the  walls  of  (he 
jail,   and  the  ridge  of  the  house,  where  there  is 
a  trap-door,  the  placing  of  the  guards,  the  num- 
bers and  stationing  of  the  sentries.  "We  were  safe, 
therefore,    in  the  measures  we  had  taken,  firr 
the  attack  of  the  guard  of  St.  John's  gate.  Our 
own  guard  was  perfectly  scrutinized.     The  op- 
portunities, were  of  the  most  commodious  kind. 
The    guard-house,    was  directly  in   our  front, 
where   we  could  see  and  be  seen.     Their  win- 
dows had  no  shutters.     They  had  lights  all  the 
night  through  :   we,  the  better  to  observe  them, 
kept  none.      This  latter  circumstance,  enabled 
us  distinctly  to  see,    that  the  arms  with  fixed 
!>ayonets,    were  placed  in  the  right  hand  corner 
«ef  tbe  room,  as  we  would  enter  iVon*  the 
O 


158 

liead,  and  that  the  guard  towards  morning,  to  a 
man,  were  lying  asleep  on  the  floor.  The  sen- 
tries, as  they  were  relieved,  did  the  like.  This 
guard,  as  was  before  said,  in  ordinary,  consist- 
ed of  thirty  persons.  Boyd's  party  from  a  per- 
fect knowledge  of  their  method  of  conducting, 
esteemed  it  no  great  hardiness,  to  undertake 
the  overwhelming  them.  Subsequently  our  dan- 
ger must  appear.  The  nights  were  piercingly 
cold — the  sentries  soon  housed  themselves  in 
their  boxes.  As  the  sally,  to  succeed,  must  be 
most  silent  and  quick,  it  was  hoped  to  quiet  all 
of  them,  before  any  alarm  could  spread.  Be- 
sides, Boyd's  divison  (the  first  rank  of  which, 
TV  ere  to  despatch  the  nearest  sentry  by  the  spear,) 
others  of  the  succeeding  corps,  were  assigned 
to  assail  the  rest  of  the  sentries,  immediately 
around  the  prison.  The  getting  up  the  stairs 
of  our  guard- house,  so  quickly  as  to  create  no 
alarm,  was  not  only  feasible,  but  in  my  mind, 
(with  the  force  delegated  to  us,)  of  absolute 
certainty  of  success*  The  front  door  was  al- 
ways open  by  night  and  by  day,  we  knew  the 
precise  number  of  steps,  the  stairs  contained. 
An  agile  man,  would  mount  at  three  strides, 
A  liglst  was  continually  in  the  passage.  Enter- 
ing the  room,  and  turning  to  the  right,  the 
arms  in  the  corner  were  ours.  The  bayonet, 
from  necessity,  would  become  the  lot  of  the  guard. 
In  this  part  of  the  enterprise,  profound  silence 
•was  all  important;  the  section  was  to  rely  on 
the  spear  and  tomahack.  Aston  on  the  other 
hand,  being  victorious  at  St.  John's  gate,  was 
instantly  to  turn  the  cannon  upon  the  city:  his 
fuses,  portfire,  &e.  were  prepared  and  ready  as 
substitutes  for  those  of  the  enemy,  if  they  were 
extinguished  or  taken  from  the  guns.  It  was 


159 

known  to  us,  that  all  the  cannon  of  the  ram- 
purls  were  charged  and  primed,  and  boxes  of 
ammunition  and  piles  of  balls  in  the  vicinity  of 
each  gun,  it  was  calculated,  that  the  execution 
of  the  business  of  our  section,  might  be  effected 
in  at  least  fifteen  minutes,  together  with  the 
firing  of  the  houses.  Then  running  to  support 
Aston,  and  if  he  was  victorious,  to  maintain 
our  position  on  the  walls,  under  a  hope  of  the 
arrival  of  the  American  army  from  without. 
In  that  event,  St.  John's  gate,  as  a  first  mea- 
sure, was  to  be  opened.  But  if  Aston  should 
unfortunately  be  beaten,  (which  was  most  im- 
probable,) then  we  were  to  fly  in  all  directions* 
and  make  the  adventurous  leap.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  in  the  latter  case,  the  hurry  and 
bustle  created  by  so  sudden,  unforeseen  and 
daring  an  attack,  would  throw  the  garrison  into 
consternation  and  disorder,  to  so  great  a  de- 
gree, as  to  admit  the  escape  of  many.  Slug- 
gards might  expect  to  be  massacred. 

The  particularity  of  the  foregoing  details, 
are  purposely  made  to  impress  on  your  minds,  a, 
single  truth  :  "That  the  best  imagined  schemes 
"  and  thoroughly  digested  designs,  whether  in 
"  military  or  civil  life,  may  be  defeated  by  a 
"  thoughtless  boy,  the  interference  of  an  idiot 
«  or  a  treacherous  knave."  Two  lads  from 
Connecticut  or  Massachusetts,  whose  names  are 
now  lost  to  my  memory,  prisoners  with  us,  but 
who  had  no  manner  of  connection  or  intercourse 
with  the  chiefs,  nor  knew  the  minute,  yet  es- 
sential parts  of  the  measures  of  the  council : 
but  probably  having  overheard  a  whisper  of  the 
time  and  manner  of  the  evasion  :  Those  young 
men  without  consultation,  without  authority 
from  their  superiors  %  in  the  thoughtless  ardor  of 


160 

their  minds*  on  the  eve  of  the  sally,  descended 
into  the  cellar,  and  wiUi  hatchets,  picked  at 
the  ice  at  the  door- sill.  The  operation  was  heard.. 
The  sentry  threatened  to  lire.  The  guard  was 
instantly  alarmed  and  immediately  doubled,  and 
all  our  long-laboured  schemes  and  well  digested 
plans,  annihilated  in  a  moment.  You  cannot 
form  an  adequate  idea  of  the  pangs  we  endured. 
My  heart  was  nearly  broken  by  the  excess  of 
surprize  and  burning  anger,  to  be  thus  faiLuit- 
ously  deprived  of  the  gladdening  hope  of  a  spee- 
dy return  to  our  friends  and  country.  It  became 
us,  however,  to  put  the  best  face  upon  it.  It 
was  suddenly  resolved  by  the  chiefs,  to  kill  the 
person  who  should  disclose  the  general  plot, 
and  to  wait  upon  the  officers  on  the  ensuing 
morning,  with  our  usual  attentions.  When  morn- 
ing came,  it  found  as  afoot.  About  sunrise, 
the  formidable  inquisition  took  place.  Major 
Murray,  captain  Prentis,  the  officer  of  the  guard, 
and  a  dozen  musketeers  came,— we  awaited 
their  approach  undismayed.  They  accosted  u& 
very  coolly.  The  cellar  was  visited,  and  the 
work  of  those  fools  was  apparent.  lie-ascending, 
we  could  assure  the  gentlemen,  that  this  effort 
to  escape,  was  without  the  knowledge  of  any  of 
us.  This  to  besure,  was  said  in  the  Jesuitical 
style,  but  those  who  made  the  assertion,  did 
not  then  know  either  the  persons  or  the  names 
of  the  silly  adventurers.  The  officers  and  the 
guard  were  departing,  fully  persuaded  that  it 
was  no  more  than  the  attempt  of  one  or  two 
persons  to  escape.  Major  Murray  was  the  last 
to  recede.  An  Englishman  of  whom  we  knew 
not  that  he  was  a  deserter  from  our  enemies  at 
Boston,  had  posted  himself  close  to  the  right 
jamb  of  the  door,  which  was  more  than  half 


161 

opened  for  the  passage  of  the  major*  Those  of 
us,  who  were  deter  minded  to  execute  our  last 
night's  resolution,  armed  with  our  long  knives, 
had  formed  a  half-circle  around  the  door,  with- 
out observing  the  intrusion  and  presence  of  the 
deserter.  M*ijor  Murry  was  standing  on  the 
threshold,  speaking  in  a  kindly  manner  to  us, 
when  the  villian  sprung  past  the  jnajor,  even 
jostling  him.  The  spring  he  made,  was  so  sud- 
den and  so  entirely  unsuspected,  that  he  screen- 
ed himself  from  our  just  vengeance.  Touching 
maj.  Murray's  shoulder,  uSir,"  says  he  <*  I  have- 
something  to  disclose."  The  guards  encompass- 
ed the  traitor,  and  hurried  him  away  to  4lie 
Governor's  palace.  We  instantaneously  perceiv- 
ed the  extent  find  consequences  of  this  disaster* 
The  prisoners  immediately  destroyed  such  of 
the  arms,  as  were  too  bulky  to  hide,  if  destruct- 
ible, and  secreted  the  rest.  In  an  hour  or  two, 
a  file  of  men  with  an  officer,  demanded  Boyd, 
..Cunningham  and  others,  represented  by  the  vile 
informer,  as  lukewarm  in  the  plot.  They  were 
escorted  to  the  Governor's  council*  Here  they 
found,  that  the  wretch  had  evidenced  all  our 
proceedings  minutely,  naming  every  pn,e  who 
was  prominent.  Our  worthy  compatriots  were 
examined  on  oath,  and  as  men  of  honor  could 
not  conceal  the  truth.  The  questions  of  the 
council,  (furnished  by  the  informer,)  did  not  ad- 
mit of  equivocation  or  evasion,  if  the  examin- 
ants  had  been  so  inclined,  and  besides  all  ter- 
giversation, when  the  outline  was  marked*  was 
nugatory.  They  boldly  admitted  and  justified 
the  attempt.  We  did  not  fare  the  worse  in  our 
provisions  nor  in  the  estimation  of  our  enemy^ 
'.Returning  to  the  jail,  my  dear  Boyd  shed  the 
tears  of  excruciating  anguish  in  my  bosom*  de- 
O .% 


ploring  OUF  adverse  fate-  We  had  vowed  to 
each  other  to  he  free  or  die,  and  to  he  thus 
foolishly  baulked,  caused  the  most  heart  rend- 
ing grief.  Towards  two  o'clock  P.  M.  we  seen 
several  heavy  cart-loads,  consisting  of  long  and 
weighty  irons;  such  as  bilboes,  foot-hobbles 
and  hand-cuffs,  arrive.  The  prisoners  were  or- 
dered to  their  rooms.  The  ironing  began 
below  stairs  with  Morgan's  company.  Here 
the  bilboes  were  expended.  If  not  much  mis- 
taken, ten  or  twelve  person  were  secured,  each 
l>y  a  foot  to  a  bar  twelve  feet  long,  and  two 
inches  in  diameter.  The  heavy  bolts  \vere  ex- 
hausted in  the  story  below  us.  When  they 
came  to  our  range  of  rooms,  they  turned  to  the 
left,  instead  of  coming  to  the  right  where  we 
were.  By  the  time  the  officers  came 'to  us,  even 
the  hand-cuffs  were  nearly  out.  Each  of  us  was 
obliged  to  take  to  his  birth,  which  contained 
five  men  eaeli.  When  they  had  shackled  those 
ef  the  lower  births,  they  commenced  at  one 
the  most  distant  from  ours.  Slipping  in  the 
rear  of  my  companions,  bent  down  in  apparent 
trepidation,  the  black-smith  ironed  my  mess- 
mates, and  then  called  to  me  to  descend  and 
submit  to  his  office.  Coming—"  Never  mind 
that  hid,"  said  my  friend  captain  Frcntis.  They 
had  but  three  or  four  pair  of  hand-cuffs  left, 
which  were  clapped  on  the  elderly  and  robust. 
Besides  M>Coy,  our  Boniface  the  cook,  Doc- 
tor Gibson,  twro  others  and  myself,  who  were 
unhampered,  all  the  rest  were,  in  appearance, 
lightly  and  firmly  secured.  Though  M'Coy 
and  Boniface,  were  adepts  at  insurrection,  yet 
their  services  were  of  too  much  importance  to 
government,  to  be  dispensed  with.  The  others 
of  the  unfettered^  remained  so  from  the  exhatis- 


163 

lion  of  the  shackles.  A  new  species  of  interest- 
ing occurrences,  mingled  \vith  much  fun  anil 
sportive  humor  now  occurred,  which  was  suc- 
ceeded by  a  series  of  horrible  anguish.  The 
doors  were  scarcely  closed,  before  we  began  to 
assay  the  unshackling.  Those  who  had  small 
hands',  by  compressing  the  palms,  could  easily 
divest  the  irons  from  their  wrist.  Of  these 
there  were  many,  who  became  the  assistants  of 
their  friends,  whose  hands  were  larger.  Here 
there  was  a  necessity  for  ingenuity.  Knives 
notched  as  saws,  were  the  principal  means. 
The  head  of  the  rivet,  at  the  end  of  the  bar, 
was  sawed  off,  it  was  lengthened  and  a  screw 
formed  upon  it,  to  cap  which,  a  false  head  was 
made,  either  of  iron  or  of  lead,  resembling  as 
much  as  possible  the  true  head.  Again  new 
rivets  were  formed,  from  the  iron  we  had  pre- 
served in  our  secret  hoards,  from  the  vigilance 
of  the  searchers.  These  new  rivets  being  made 
to  bear  a  strong  likeness  to  the  old,  were  then, 
cut  into  two  parts — one  part  was  driven  into 
the  bolt  tightly,  became  stationary,  the  other 
part  was  moveable.  It  behoved  the  wearer  of 
the  manacle  to  look  to  it,  that  he  did  not  lose 
the  loose  part,  and  when  the  searchers  cftme 
to  examine,  that  it  should  stand  firm  in  the  or- 
ifice. Some  poor  fellows,  perhaps  from  a  defect 
of  ingenuity,  the  hardness  of  the  iron,  or  the 
want  of  the  requisite  tools,  could  not  discharge 
the  bilboes.  This  was  particularly  the  melan- 
choly predicament  of  three  of  Morgan's  men, 
whose  heels  were  too  long  to  slip  through  the 
iron,  which  encompassed  the  small  of  the  leg. 
It  was  truely  painful,  to  see  three  persons  at- 
tached to  a  monstrous  bar,  the  weight  of  which 
was  above  their  strength  to  carry.  It  added  to 


164 

the  poignancy  of  their  sufferings,  in  such  frigid 
weather,  that  their  colleagues  at  the  bar,  hav- 
ing shorter  heels,  eould  withdraw  the  foot  and 
perambulate  the  jail:  where  their  companions 
left  them,  there  they  must  remain  seated  on  the 
floor,  unless  some  kind  hands  assisted  them  to 
remove. 

There  was  a  droll  dog  from  the  eastward,  who 
was  doubly  unfortunate :  in  the  attack  of  the 
city,  he  had  received  a  spent  ball  in  the  pit  of 
the  stomach,  which  had  nearly  ended  him  :  now 
it  became  his  lot  to  have  an  immense  foot-bolt 
fastened  to  his  leg,  without  a  companion  to  bear 
him  company,  and  cheer  his  lonely  hours.  This 
victim  of  persecution  and  sorrow,  would  some- 
times come  among  us  ia  the  yard,  bearing  up 
his  bolt,  slung  by  a  cord  hitched  over  his  shoul- 
der. Nothing  could  damp  his  spirits.  He  talk- 
ed, laughed  and  sung  incessantly.  Some  others, 
besides  those,  were  similarly  situated.  Those 
who  were  so  luckky  as  to  have  light  hand-cuffs, 
bore  them  about  with  them.  The  greatest  dan- 
ger of  discovery,  arose  from  those  who  could 
free  themselves  from  the  heavy  irons.  The 
usual  visitations  were  increased  from  twice  to 
thrice  a  day,  in  the  first  and  last  the  smith 
searched  the  bolts  of  each  person.  But  there 
were  other  intrusions,  intermediately,  by  offi- 
cers evidently  despatched  by  the  suspicions  of 
government,  for  the  purpose  of  discovery.  To 
counteract  these  new  measures  of  caution  and 
jealousy,  we  were  well  prepared.  Sentries,  on 
our  part,  were  regularly  stationed  at  certain 
windows  of  the  jail,  to  descry  the  approach  of 
any  one  in  the  garb  of  an  officer.  The  view  from 
these  windows,  was  pretty  extensive,  down  two 
of  the  streets,  particularly  that  leading  to  the 


165 

pulaee.  Notwithstanding  every  caution  to  avoid 
d>  eodon,  yet  the  clang*  of  the  lock  of  the  great 
th,'>r,  WHS  upon  some' occasions,  the  only  warning 
given  us  of  the  impending  danger.  The  seamp- 
erings  at  those  times  were  truly  diverting,  and 
having  always  escaped  discovery,  gave  us  much 
amusement.  The  clanking  of  the  fetters  fol- 
lowed, and  was  terrible ;  such  as  the  imagina- 
tion forms  in  childhood,  of  the  condition  of  the 
souls  in  Tartarus;  even  this  was  sport.  Happi- 
ly our  real  situation  was  never  known  to  any  of 
the  government  officers  ;  unless  the  good  bla<  k- 
&mith,  (a  worthy  Irishman,  of  a  feeling  heart,) 
Biigut  be  called  such,  and  he  was  silent. 

Towards  the  middle  of  April,  the  scurvy, 
which  we  had  been  imbibing  during  the  winter, 
now  made  its  appearance  in  its  most  virulent 
and  deadly  forms,  preceded  and  accompanied  by 
a  violent  diarrhoea.  Many  of  those  who  were 
first  affected  were  taken  to  the  hospital.  But 
the  disease  soon  became  general  among  us.  We 
were  attended  several  tiroes  by  doctor  May  bin* 
the  physician-general,  who,  by  his  tender  atten- 
tions, and  amiable  manners,  won  our  affections  : 
he  recommended  a  cleansing  of  the  stomach,  by 
ipecac tiannah  and  mild  catharticks,  such  as  rhu- 
barb, together  with  due  exercise.  Those  who 
were  young,  active,  and  sensible  of  the  doctor's 
salutary  advice,  kept  afoot,  and  practised  every 
kind  of  athletic  sport  we  could  devise.  On  the 
contrary,  those  who  were  supinely  indolent,  and 
adhered  to  their  blankets,  became  objects  of  real 
commiseration — their  limbs  contracted,  as  one 
of  mine  is  now :  large  blue  and  even  black 
blotches  appeared  on  their  bodies  and  limbs — 
the  gums  became  black — the  morbid  flesh  fell 
the  teeth  loosened,,  and  in  several  install- 


ces  fell  out.  Our  minds  \vere  DO.W  really  de- 
pressed. That  hilarity  and  fun  which  supported 
our  spirits  in  the  greatest  misfortunes,  gave  way 
to  waitings,  groanings  and  death.  I  know,  from 
dire  experience,  that  when  the  body  sutlers  pain, 
the  mind,  for  the  time,  is  deprived  of  all  its  ex- 
biiirations — in  short,  almost  of  the  power  of 
thinking.  The  elbow  joints,  the  hips,  the  knees 
and  ancles  were  most  severely  pained.  It  was 
soon  observed,  (though  the  doctor's  mate  attend- 
ed us  almost  daily,  and  very  carefully,)  there 
was  little  or  no  mitigation  of  our  diseases,  except 
that  the  diarrhoea,  which  was  derived  from  ano- 
ther cause  than  that  which  produced  the  scurvy, 
was  somewhat  abated ;  and  that  our  remedy  lay 
elsewhere  in  the  materia  mediea,  which  was  be- 
yond the  grasp  of  the  physician.  The  diarrhoea 
came  from  the  nature  of  the  water  we  used  daily. 
In  the  month  of  April,  the  snows  begin  to  melt, 
not  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  but  most  probably  by 
the  warmth  of  the  earth  beneath  the  snows. 
The  ground,  saturated  with  the  snow-water,  na- 
turally increased  the  fountain-head  in  the  cellar. 
Literally,  we  drank  the  melted  snow.  The 
scurvy  had  another  origin.  The  diet — salt  pork, 
infamous  biscuit — damp,  and  close  confinement, 
in  a  narrow  space,  together  with  the  severity  of 
the  climate,  were  the  true  causes  of  the  scurvy. 

There  was  no  doubt  in  any  reflective  mind 
among  us,  but  that  the  virtuous  and  beneficent 
Carieton,  taking  into  view  his  perilous  predica- 
ment, did  every  thing  for  us,  which  an  honest 
man  and  a  good  Christian  could. 

An  observation  may  be  made  in  this  place 
with  propriety,  that  is,  that  in  the  climates  of  all 
high  southern  or  northern  regions,  the  soil  is 
very  rich  and  prolific.  This  beneficial  opera 


167 

lion  of  nature,  is,  in  all  likelihood  attributable  to, 
the  nitrous  qualities  which  the  »now  deposites* 
Of  the  fact,  that  nitre  is  the  principal  ingredi- 
ent which  causes  fertility  in  the  earth,  no  man 
of  observation,  can  at  this  day,  reasonably  doubt. 
The  earth  is  replete  of  it.  Wherever  earth  and 
shade  unite,  it  is  engendered  and  becomes  appa- 
rent. This  idea  is  proved  by  the  circumstance., 
that  nitre  may  be  procured  from  caves,  the  earth 
of  cellars,  outhouses,  and  even  from  common 
earth,  if  kept  under  cover.  During  the  late  re- 
volution, when  powder  \vas  so  necessary,  we 
every  where  experienced  the  good  effects  of  this 
minerologieal  discovery;  it  gives  me  pleasure  to 
say,  that  it  is  most  fairly  ascribable  to  our  Ger- 
man ancestors.  The  snows  which  usually  fall 
in  Canada  about  the  middle  of  November,  and 
generally  cover  the  ground  until  the  end  of 
April,  in  my  opinion,  fill  the  soil  with  those  ve- 
getative salts,  which  forward  the  growth  of 
plants.  This  idea  was  evinced  to  me,  by  my 
vague  and  inconsiderate  mind,  from  observations 
then  made,  and  which  were  more  firmly  establish- 
ed by  assurances  troin  captain  Prentis,  that  muck 
or  manure,  which  we  employ  in  southern  climates, 
is  there  never  used.  In  that  country,  the  mo- 
ment the  ground  is  freed  front  snow,  the  grass 
and  every  species  of  plant,  spring  forward  in 
the  most  luxuriant  manner.  Captain  Prentis, 
besides  the  continuation  of  bis  care  and  friend- 
ship to  Gibson  and  myself,  did  not  restrain  his 
generosity  to  individuals,  but  procured  for  us  a 
permission  from  government,  to  send  out  an  old 
Irishman,  of  the  New-York  line,  an  excellent  ca- 
tholic, to  collect  for  us  vegetable  food.  The 
first  specimen  of  this  good  old  man's  attention 
and  industry,  was  the  production  of  a  large  has- 


168 

fcei-full  of  the  ordinary  blue-grass  of  our  coun* 
try;  this  grass,  by  those  who  got  at  it,  was  de* 
voured  ravenously  at  the  basket,  if  go  happy  as 
to  be  able  to  come  near  it.  Scurvy  grass,  in 
many  varieties,  eschalots,  small  onions,  onion 
tops  and  garlic,  succeeded^  and  were  welcomed 
by  all  of  us  for  several  months  afterwards.  This 
voracious  appetite,  for  vegetables,  seems  to  be 
an  incident  ahvavs  concurring  in  that  terrible 
disease,  the  scurvy  :  nature  seems  to  instil  into 
the  patient,  a  desire  of  such  food,  and  of  acids, 
which  are  the  only  specific,  with  a  due  attention 
to  cleanliness,  hitherto  discovered,  that  do  eradi- 
cate the  stamina  of  (he  disease.  From  my  con- 
tracted knowledge,  it  is  imperceptible  that  there 
is  any  material  discrepancy,  between  the  sea- 
scurvy  and  the  land-scurvy  of  high  southern  and 
northern  latitudes.  The  descriptions  given  by 
Robins,  (or  if  you  please,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walter,) 
and  other  voyagers,  of  the  causes,  the  symp- 
toms and  the  effects  of  that  disorder,  seem  to  con- 
cur in  every  particular  with  our  various  expe- 
rience at  Quebec.  Recollect  it  is  not  a  physi- 
cian who  speaks.* 

About  the  time  above  spoken  of,  governor 
Carleton  directed  that  we  should  be  supplied 
with  fresh  beef.  This  was  no  other  than  that 
which  had  been  brought  into  the  city  when  we 
lay  at  Aux-Tremble,  in  the  foregoing  autumn, 
and  in  aid  of  the  stores  of  the  garrison.  It  had 
lain  in  a  frozen  state  during  the  winter,  without 
salting,  but  now  as  warm  weather  was  approach- 
infc>  it  began  to  thaw  and  was  liberally  disposed 
of  to  the  garrison  and  prisoners.  The  beef  WHS 
sweet,  though  here  and  there  a  little  blueishj  like 

*  Sse  Note 


169 

the  mould  of  stale  bread,  very  tender,  but  some* 
what  mawkish.  It  was  palatable  and  nutritive 
to  men  afflicted  as  we  were.  This  beef,  con- 
nected with  vegetables,  soon  animated  us  with 
an  idea  of  returning  health  and  vigor :  yet* 
though  it  mitigated  the  pains  we  endured,  it  did 
not  totally  expel  the  scurvy. 

The  seventh  of  May  arrived.  Two  ships  came 
to  the  aid  of  the  garrison,  beating  through  a 
body  of  ice,  which  perhaps  was  impervious  to 
any  other  than  the  intrepid  sailor.  This  relief 
of  men  and  stores,  created  great  joy  in  the  town. 
Our  army  began  their  disorderly  retreat.  My 
friend  Simpson,  with  his  party,  were  much  mis- 
used, from  a  neglect  of  giving  him  information 
of  the  intended  Might  of  oar  army.  Some  few 
of  the  men  under  his  authority,  straggled  and 
were  taken  in  the  retreat.  They  came  to  inha- 
bit our  house.  Now,  for  the  first  time,  we  heard 
an  account  of  the  occurrences  during  the  win- 
ter's blockade,  which  to  us,  though  of  trivial 
import,  were  immensely  interesting.  The  sully 
of  this  day,  produced  to  the  prisoners  additional 
comfort.  Though  the  troops  took  a  severe  re- 
venge upon  our  friends  without,  by  burning  and 
destroying  their  properties.  The  next  day, 
more  ships  and  troops  arrived  :  a  pursuit  took 
place,  the  effect  of  which  was  of  no  consequence, 
except  so  far  as  it  tended  to  expel  the  colonial 
troops  from  Canada.  To  the  prisoners,  this  re- 
treat had  pleasing  consequences ;  fresh  bread, 
beef  newly  slaughtered,  and  a  superabundance 
of  vegetables,  was  a  salutary  diet  to  our  reduced 
and  scorbutic  bodies.  Still  freedom,  that  great- 
est of  b.essings,  and  exercise  were  required  to 
bring  back  to  us  genuine  health*  About  this 
time  an  incident  occurred^  which  threw  us 
P 


170 


extacy,  as  it  relieved  our  minds  and  faculties 
from  a  most  torturing*  piece  of  preservative  duty: 
this  was  no  other  than  an  authoritative  divest- 
ment,of  the  irons.  One  day,  perhaps  the  fif- 
teenth or  eighteenth  of  May,  colonel  Maclean, 
attended  by  major  Carleton,  a  younger  brother 
of  the  general's,  major  Maibaum,  *  a  German 
officer,  both  of  whom  had  just  arrived  from  Eu- 
rope, together  with  captain  Prentis,  and  other 
officers,  entered  the  jail  about  mid-day.  The 
prisoners  paraded  in  the  jail-yard  completely 
ironed.  Captain  Prentis,  by  the  direction  of  co- 
lonel Maclean,  pointed  out  to  the  other  officers  : 
«  This  is  general  sueh-a-one — that  is  colonel 
sueh-a-one,"  and  in  this  manner  proceeded  to 
Mame  all  the  leading  characters.  Happening  to 
be  very  near  the  amiable,  it  might  be  said,  ad- 
mirable major  Carleton.  he  \v;is  overheard  to 
say,  «*  colonel,  ambition  is  laudable  ;  cannot  the 
irons  of  these  men  be  struck  off?"  Tiiis  the  co- 
lonel ordered  to  be  done  immediately.  Our 
kind-hearted  blacksmith  wus  not  distant :  he 
came,  and  the  officers  remained  to  see  some  of 
the  largest  bolts  divested,  and  then  left  us. 
"  Come,  come,  gentlemen,"  said  the  blacksmith, 
"you  can  put  oif  your  irons."  In  a  minute,  the 
vast  pile  lay  before  him.  Ueing  now  at  full  bo- 
dily liberty,  we  completed  a  ball  court,  which 
Lad  been  originally  formed,  us  it  were,  by 
stealth.  Here  a  singular  phenomenon  which 
attends  the  scurvy,  discovered  itself.  The  vene- 
rable and  respectable  Maybin,  had  recommended 
to  us  exercise,  not  only  as  a  mean  of  cure,  but 
a  :  preventive  of  the  scorbutic  humours  ope-. 
r;Umg.  Four  of  the  most  active  would  engage 
at  a  game  of  «  fives."  Having  played  some 

*  See  Note  XIII. 


171 

games  in  continuation,  if  a  party  incautiously 
sni  down,  lie  was  seized  by  the  most  violent 
pains  in  the  hips  and  knees,  which  incapacitated 
him  from  play  for  many  hours,  and  from  rising 
from  the  earth,  where  the  patient  had  seated 
himself.  These  pains  taught  us  to  keep  afoot 
all  day,  and  even  to  eat  our  food  in  an  erect  pos- 
ture. Going1  to  bed  in  the  evening,  after  a  hard 
day's  play,  those  sensations  of  pain  upon  laying 
down,  immediately  attacked  us.  The  pain  would 
continue  half  an  hour,  and  often  longer.  My 
own  experience  will  authorise  me  to  say  two 
hours.  In  the  morning,  \ve  rose  free  from  pain, 
and  the  routine  of  play  and  fatigue  ensued,  but 
always  attended  by  the  same  effects,  particularly 
to  the  stubborn  and  incautious,  who  would  not 
adhere  to  the  wholesome  advice  of  doctor  May- 
bin.  Those  who  were  inactive,  retained  those  ex- 
cruciating pains  to  the  last,  together  with  their 
distorted,  bloated,  and  blackened  limbs.  Upon 
our  return  from  Canada,  in  the  autumn  of  1776, 
1  saw  five  or  six  of  my  crippled  compatriots, 
hobbling  tli rough  the  streets  of  Lancaster  on 
their  way  home.  It  cost  a  tear — all  that  could 
be  given.  By  the  month  of  August,  the  active 
were  relieved  from  those  pains. 

Towards  the  end  of  May,  governor  Carleton 
ordered  each  of  the  prisoners  a  linnen  shirt. 
This  gift,  to  me,  was  most  agreeable,  as  linnen 
next  the  skia,  for  some  months  past,  was  unielt, 
and  few  persons  who  have  not  felt  the  extremity 
of  such  endurances  as  ours,  can  form  a  full  con- 
ception of  the  gratification  we  enjoyed.  Having 
had  but  one  shirt  on  at  the  time  of  our  capture, 
it  was  soon  destroyed  by  the  wearing,  and  the 
repeated  washings  it  required.  Delicacy  for- 
bids a  dilation  upon  the  cause  and  effects.  You 
would  laugh  at  the  description  of  one  of  our 


172 

washing  parties.  Rising  early,  the  prime  object 
was  to  make  a  strong  ley  of  wood-ashes,  of  which 
we  had  plenty,  into  which  the  linnen  was  plung- 
ed, and  concocted  for  an  hour  or  more,  under  a 
hope  of  putting  an  end  to  certain  vagrants,  of  a 
genera  with  which  most  of  us  are  acquainted* 
JJuring  the  boiling,  the  votaries  of  cleanliness, 
eloaked  in  a  blanket,  or  blanket-coat,  watched 
the  ebullitions  of  the  kettle.  The  boiling  done, 
the  linnen  was  home  to  the  yard,  where  each 
one  washed  his  own,  and  watched  it  during  the 
drying,  almost  in  a  state  of  nature.  Captain 
Prentis,  pitying  my  sad  condition,  pressed  upon 
Hie  often  to  accept  from  him,  money  to  purchase 
a  suit  of  clothes,  and  he  would  trust  to  the  hon- 
or and  integrity  of  my  father  for  payment, 
whose  character  he  knew.  Adhering  to  my  first 
determination,  this  polite  and  generous  proposal 
of  my  amiable  and  deserving  friend,  was  as 
often,  yet  most  thankfully  declined,  maugre  the 
advice  of  my  bosom  friends  Boyd  and  Cunning- 
ham to  the  contrary.  He  however  forced  upon 
me  a  half  Johannes.  This  small  sum  was  appli- 
ed to  the  solace  of  my  heart.  In  the  first  place, 
to  an  article  still  more  necessary  than  a  shirt. 
The  residue  was  expended  upon  matters  which 
cheered  the  hearts  of  my  messmates,  whom  I 
dearly  loved  ;  cheese,  sugar,  tea,  coffee,  &c. 
spirits  was  detested,  as  we  knew  it  to  be  a  poi- 
son to  scorbutic  persons.  What  pleased  me 
much  more,  and  gdve  me  pure  delight,  was  the 
following  occurrence  :  Of  my  own  accord,  no 
one  knowing  of  the  intention,  the  good  old  Irish- 
man was  delegated  t°  purchase  three  or  four 
pounds  of  tobacco.  'Jt  was  secretly  brought* 
and  as  secretly  borne  to  our  room.  A  pound 
was  produced  and  fairly  parted  among  our  to- 


173 

baceo-chewers.  You  cannot  conceive  their  joy. 
When  the  first  paroxism  was  over,  the  remain- 
der was  disposed  of  in  the  same  way.  The  thank- 
fulness of  those  brave,  but  destitute  men,  arose 
towards  me,  nearly  to  adoration.  You  will  ask 
why  ?  Hear  the  reason :  From  your  small 
knowlege  of  mankind,  you  can  have  little  con- 
ception of  the  force  habit  has  on  the  human 
race.  One  who  chews,  smokes  or  snuffs  to- 
bacco, is  as  little  able  to  abstain  from  that  en- 
joyment, as  you  would  be,  if  compelled,  to  re- 
frain from  your  usual  meals.  This  particular 
is  spoken  of,  to  persuade  you  by  no  mean  to  use 
tobacco  in  any  shape.  It  is  a  poison,  of  the  most 
inveterate  kind,  which  like  opium,  arsenic,  and 
several  other  medicaments,  may  be  applied  to 
healthful  purposes,  yet,  if  employed  in  an  ex- 
treme degree,  produces  instantaneous  death. 
These  ideas  are  not  visionary,  but  are  supporta- 
ble by  the  authority  of  some  of  the  best  physici- 
ans. You  are  at  full  liberty  to  put  your  own 
constructions  upon  these  observations.  But  to 
return  to  my  fellow-prisoners. 

In  the  wilderness,  where  the  army  soon  run- 
out the  article  of  tobacco,  the  men  had  many 
valuable  succcdaneums.  The  barks  of  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  firs,  the  cedar,  the  red  willow,  * 
and  the  leaves  of  many  astringent  or  bitter  plants 
supplied  the  place;  but  within  the  bare  walls  of 
our  jail,  there  was  no  substitute  for  this  dear 
and  inebriating  vegetable.  Thus  was  ail  my 
money  expended,  and  much  to  my  satisfaction, 
and  to  the  heart-felt  pleasure  of  my  brave  and 
worthy  companions,  whose  sufferings,  in  certain 
points,  were  greater  than  my  own.  The  table 

*  See  Note  XIV. 

P  3 


174 

of  the  virtuous  and  generous  Prentis,  had  often 
furnished  me  liberally  with  wholesome  viands. 
"With  coHValeseency  though  penniless,  we  again 
became  merry  and  lighthearted. 

In  the  beginning  of  August,  we  were  told  by 
captain  Prentis,  that  the  Governor  had  conclud- 
ed, to  send  us  by  sea  to  New- York  upon  parole, 
for  the  purpose  of  being  exchanged  $  that  the 
transports,  which  had  brought  the  "la.le  rein- 
forcements from  Europe,  were  cleansing  and 
preparing  for  the  voyage.  Now  there  was  ex- 
ultation. On  the  seventh  of  August,  we  sub- 
scribed our  written  paroles. #  Captain  Prentis 
procured  me  permission  from  government,  with 
a  few  friends,  to  traverse  the  city.  An  officer 
of  the  garrison  attended  us.  Our  first  desire 
was,  to  see  the  grave  of  our  General,  and  those 
of  his  aides  ;  as  well  as  those  of  the  beloved 
Hendrieks  and  Humphreys.  The  graves  were 
within  a  small  place  of  interment,  neatly  walled 
•with  stone.  The  coffins  of  Montgomery,  Cheese- 
inan  and  M'PIierson,  were  well  arranged,  side 
by  side.  Those  of  Hendrieks,  Humphreys,  Coop- 
er, &e.  were  arranged  on  the  south  side  of  the 
inclosure,  but  as  the  burials  of  these  heroes, 
took  place  in  a  dreary  winter,  and  the  earth 
impenetrable,  there  was  but  little  soil  on  the 
coffins,-  the  snow  and  ice,  which  had  been  the 
principal  covering,  being  now  dissolved,  the  foot 
of  the  General's  coffin,  was  exposed  to  the  air 
and  view.  The  coffin  was  well  formed  of  fir- 
plafik.  Captain  Prentis  assured  me,  that  the 
graves  should  be  deepened,  and  the  bodies  duly 
deposited;  for  he  also  knew  Montgomery  as  a 
fellow-soldier,  and  lamented  his  untimely  fate. 

*  See  Note  XV. 


175 

Thence  we  proceeded  past  the  citadel,  along 
the  ramparts  to  Cape  Diamond,  deseemfv  he 
declivity  slantingly,  and  examined  the  stockades 
and  block-house.'  It  is  this  little  tour,  which 
enabled  me  to  describe  to  you,  the  site  and 
defences  of  that  formidable  pass.  Proceeding 
thence  through  a  part  of  the  Lower-town,  we 
came  to  a  narrow  street,  which  led  us  to  an 
immense  stair-way,  one  of  the  ascents  into  the 
Upper-town.  Ase<mdmg  here,  we  came  to  the 
main  passage,  which  eui vatured  down  the  hill 
into  the  Lower-town,  and  which  was  to  lead  us 
in  our  supposed  attack  upon  the  Upper- town  ; 
this  we  pursued,  and  came  to  the  place  of  the 
second  barrier,  which  had  been  lately  demo- 
lished. The  houses  on  both  sides  of  the  street, 
in  which  we  had  taken  our  stand,  were  now  in 
ruins,  having  been  burnt  by  the  garrison,  as 
were  the  suburbs  of  St.  Roque  and  St.  John's. 
This  was  done  to  render  them  unlit  for  the  shel- 
ter of  future  assailants.  Thus  it  is,  that  war 
destroys  the  wealth,  and  robs  the  individual  of 
happiness.  We  had  no  time  to  make  observa- 
tions, but  such  as  could  be  done  in  passing  has- 
tily. Returning  to  the  Upper- town,  by  the  prin- 
cipal and  winding  road,  we  were  strongly  im- 
pressed with  the  opinion,  that  if  our  whole 
force,  as  was  intended,  had  formed  a  junction 
in  the  Lower-town,  that  it  was  utterly  imprac- 
ticable, either  from  our  numbers  or  our  means, 
to  mount  by  a  road  »uch  as  this  was.  Suppose 
it  not  to  have  been  barricaded  and  enfiladed  by 
cannon,  it  must  be  assailed  by  the  bayonet,  of 
which  weapon,  \ve  had  very  few,  and  the  enemy 
was  fully  supplied.  But  when  we  reflect,  that 
across  the  road,  at  the  centre  of  the  arc  of  each 
curve,  there  was  a  barricade*  and  cannon  placed 


176 

to  rake  the  intervals  between  the  different 
barricades,  the  difficulties  of  the  ascent,  which 
Is  very  steep,  would  be  increased  even  to  insur- 
mountability. The  road  is  very  narrow  and 
lined,  next  the  hill,  by  a  stupendous  precipice  : 
on  the  other  hand,  there  were  some  houses  ro- 
mantically perched  on  the  side  of  the  declivity, 
and  some  rocks.  The  declivity  of  itself  was  an 
excellent  defence,  if  the  besieged  could  main- 
tain the  position  in  front,  for  in  a  short  time, 
in  so  confined  a  space,  the  assailants  must  either 
die,  retreat,  or  be  thrown  down  the  hill  from 
the  road.  But  suppose  all  these  defences  over- 
come, and  we  had  arrived  at  the  brow  of  the  hill 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Upper-town,  here  a  still 
more  formidable  obstacle  presented  itself,  than 
those  which  could  be  formed  by  art  in  the  lowev 
parts  of  the  road.  At  this  place  there  is  a  hol- 
low-way, which  in  the  hurry  we  were  in,  and 
the  slight  view  we  dared  take,  appeared  as  if 
cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  of  a  depth  of  thirty 
or  forty  feet.  Athwart  this  way,  there  was  a 
strong  stockade  of  a  height  nearly  equal  with 
the  perpendicular  sides  of  the  way  or  gulley. 
From  the  surface  above,  we  might  have  been 
stoned  to  death,  by  the  defenders  of  the  fortress, 
without  a  probability  of  their  receiving  harm 
from  us  below,  though  ever  so  well  armed.  But 
the  stockade  itself,  from  its  structure  and  abun- 
dant strength,  would  have  resisted  a  force  mani- 
fold our  numbers,  and  much  better  supplied 
and  accoutred.  From  these  observations,  (those 
of  an  uninstrueted  youth  to  be  sure,)  there  was 
no  hesitation  in  telling  my  intimate  friends,  then 
and  since,  that  the  scheme  of  the  conquest  of 
the  Upper-town,  was  visionary  and  groundless  ; 
not  the  result  of  our  dear  general's  reflections^ 


177 

but  forced  upon  him  by  the  nature  and  necessi- 
ties of  the  times,  and  his  disagreeable  predica- 
ment, if  a  coalition  of  our  forces  in  the  Lower* 
town  had  taken  effect,  tlie  general  would  then, 
ii:'^.t  probably,  have  developed  his  latent  and 
real  plans.  The  reasons  given  iri  council,  may 
have  been  promulgated,  merely  to  induce  a  more 
Spirited  exertion  upon  the  part  of  the  officers 
and  soldiery,  who  were  not  in  the  secret,  to 
excite  a  factitious  valor.  Getting  into  serious 
action,  and  warmed  by  the  opposition  of  ihe 
enemy,  the  troops  might  luive  been  induced 
to  persevere,  in  any  apparently  sudden  design 
of  the  general.  The  cupidity  of  the  soldiers 
had  been  played  upon.  This  latter  fact,  is  known 
to  me  of  my  own  particular  knowledge.  Some 
weeks  before  the  attack,  the  soldiers  in  their 
common  conversations,  spoke  of  the  conquest 
of  the  city,  as  a  certainty  ;  and  exultingly  of 
the  plunder,  they  should  win  by  their  bravery. 
It  was  not  my  business  to  contradict :  but  to 
urge  them  on.  Perhaps  the  setting  fire  to  the 
LoAver-tow  n,  on  the  side  of  Cape  Diamond ; 
considering  the  prevailing  wind*  which  was  at 
south-east,  but  afterwards  changed  to  north 
and  north- west;  such  a  design  might  have  been 
effected.  The  shipping  also  ice-bound,  numer- 
ous and  valuable,  moored  around  the  point, 
would  have  been  consumable:  All  this  destruc- 
tion would  have  been  a  victory  of  no  mean  kind  ; 
but  adding  eclat  to  the  known  gallantry  and 
prowess  of  the  general.  The  Almighty  willed, 
that  we  should  never  knowr  the  pith  or  marrow 
of  his  projects;  whatever  they  were,  my  mind 
is  assured  that  they  were  considerately  and  well 
designed.  He  was  not  a  man  to  act  incautious- 
ly and  without  motive,,  and  too  honest  and  bravt 


178 

to  adopt  a  sinister  part.  No  doubt  we  could 
hav<  escaped  by  the  way  of  St.  Rttque,  protect- 
ed by  the  smoke  of  the  conflagration,  ami  the 
terror  and  bustle,  which  would  consequently  be 
created  in  the  town.  Though  this  pass  is  too 
narrow  for  the  operation  of  a  large  body  of 
men,  in  an  extended  from,  still  we  should  have 
been  too  numerous,  (under  the  circumstances 
supposed,)  for  the  enemy  to  afford,  a  force  issu- 
ing from  Palace-gate,  adequate  to  oppose  us. 
In  the  next  instance,  if  we  should  happen  to  be 
so  very  fortunate,  in  such  a  retreat,  as  to  bat 
the  foes,  they  must  retreat  into  the  city,  by 
the  way  of  Palace-gate,  and  we  should  have 
entered  pell-mell,  and  should  thus  have  achiev- 
ed the  possession  of  that  important  place,  the 
Upper-town,  which  was  the  primary  view,  and 
last  hope  of  the  general  and  the  army.  These 
were  the  crude  notions  of  a  youth,  formed  upon 
the  spot,  but  in  a  maturation  of  thirty  years, 
are  still  retained. 

The  general  did  not  Avant  for  information. 
Many  persons,  male  and  female,  (unnecessary 
mouths,)  were  expelled  the  city,  to  wander  for 
subsistence  among  their  friends  in  the  country. 
His  own  knowledge  of  Quebec,  wrhere  he  had 
served,  would  enable  him  by  interrogation,  to 
extort  from  those  emigrants  a  full  stock  of  infor- 
mation of  all  the  new  defences  erected  by  Go- 
vernor Carieton  since.  Consequently,  knowing 
the  practicability  of  Cape  Diamond,  (Jlunce  de 
mere.,  which  must  be  provincial,  and  1  do  not 
understand,)  as  aa  entrance  to  the  Lower-town, 
(but  a  most  dangerous  one,)  and  that  of  St. 
Roque,  with  which  and  its  barriers,  he  was 
particularly  acquainted,  from  his  own,  and  the 
observations  of  others:  if  so,  he  would  most 


179 

assuredly  be  informed  of  the  defensive  obstruc- 
tions oil  lac  slope  of  the  hill,  ami  i*ie  ehcioy- 
nient  of  the  troops,  which  would  in  consequence 
attend:  and  he  would  also  know  that  this  place, 
to  the  garrison,  would  he  a  perfect  Thermopylae, 
impassable  by  ten  times  our  numbers,  if  we  had 
been  veterans  and  were  better  furnished.  From 
these  reasons,  there  was  an  inducement  for  my 
mind,  at  all  times  since  the  attack,  to  conclude, 
that  it  was  never  general  Montgomery's  real 
design,  to  conquer  the  Uppper-town,  by  an  in- 
vasion from  the  Lower-town,  but  his  hidden 
and  true  plan  was,  by  a  consolidation  of  our 
whole  force,  to  burn  the  Lower-town,  and  the 
shipping,  and  to  retreat  by  the  way  of  Palace- 
gate  and  Sf.  Roque,  If  a  saliy  was  made  at 
Palace- gate,  the  event,  as  was  observed  before, 
might  be  fatal  to  the  enemy.  The  comprehen- 
sive mind  of  Montgomery,  would  not  only  ap- 
preciate to  the  full  extent,  the  peculiar  advHn- 
tagcs  of  the  enemy,  but  estimate  to  its  true 
value  the  means  he  possessed,  and  the  merits 
of  his  own  army.  Presuming  the  colonists  <o 
be  successful  in  the  Lower-town,  where  the  e 
was  much  wealth,  and  the  avaricious  among  us  be 
in  some  degree  gratified,  it  would  have  ereai  d 
a  spirit  of  hope  and  enterprise  in  the  men,  tend- 
ing to  induce  them  to  remain  with  us.  After- 
wards, combining  our  whole  force,  with  the  re- 
inforcements we  had  a  prospect  of  receiving, 
an  attack  upon  the  Upper-town  might  have  suc- 
ceeded. In  a  word  the  destruction  of  the  Lower- 
town,  in  my  apprehension,  should  be  consider -.•<! 
merely,  as  preparatory  to  a  general  assailme'it 
of  the  Upper-tow  ,  notwithstanding  all  that  t .as 
been  said  i.i  the  v^emoirs  of  thosr  f!a>s  A  con- 
trary opinion  went  abroad  "  that  the  general, 


180 

if  he  had  lived,  by  this  assault  would  have  con- 
quered Quebec.'*  No  idea  could  be  more  fala- 
eious.  It  was  politically  right,  to  keep  up  that 
opinion,  among  the  people  in  those  trying  times, 
but  its  accomplishment  with  our  accompaniment 
of  men  and  defective  arms,  was  ideal.  Our 
walk  from  the  great  gate  and  palisade,  was  con- 
siderable, ere  we  reached  our  detestable  dwell- 
ing: as  we  had  enjoyed  a  few  hours  of  fleeting 
liberty,  the  *«  locking-up,"  became  the  more 
horrible  to  our  feelings.  The  next  day,  how- 
ever, we  had  the  ineffable  pleasure,  of  march- 
ing in  a  body  to  the  water  side,  and  embarked 
on  board  five  transports.  On  the  following  day, 
a  new  joy  was  in  store  for  me.  General  Wil- 
liam Thompson,  (of  whom  it  might  well  be  said, 
"  this  is  a  man,'*)  who  had  commanded  our  re- 
giment, at  Prospect  hill,  as  its  colonel:  he  had 
been  taken  prisoner  at  the  Three-rivers,  with 
several  other  officers*  in  the  preceding  month 
of  June.  He  was  now  aboard  of  our  little  fleet, 
destined  to  New- York.  Thompson  came  to  our 
ship,  to  visit  the  miserable  remnant  of  a  part 
of  his  gallant  corps.  The  general  had  a  special 
message  to  me,  from  my  father,  with  whom  he 
was  intimate.  Coming  through  Lancaster  in 
his  way,  to  his  command  in  Canada,  he  was 
authorized  by  my  father,  if  he  saw  me  in  that 
country,  to  furnish  me  with  money.  The  good 
man  proffered  me  four  half-jo  ban  nes',  one  only 
was  accepted.  What  was  nearer  and  dearer  to 
my  heart,  was  the  information,  that  my  parents, 
relatives  and  friends  were  well.  That  money 
was  applied  to  the  use  of  my  messmates,  in  the 
"way  of  sea- stores.  Permission  being  obtained, 
Boyd  and  myself,  went  ashore:  our  purchasers 
consisted  of  a  very  large  Cheshire  cheese,  coffee? 


181 

tea  and  sugar,  together  with  a  large  roil 
of  tobacco  for  the  men.  Again  pennyless,  jolli- 
ty and  mirth  did  not  forsake  us. 

We  sailed  on  the  tenth  of  August,  convoyed  by 
the  Pearl  frigate,  captain  M'kenzie.  Passing 
the  delightful  island  of  Orleans,  much  in  shore, 
we  observed  the  farmers  reaping  their  wheat, 
winch,  as  we  run  along,  we  could  observe  the 
haum,  in  many  instances,  was  green  towards  the 
loot  of  the  stalk.  From  tins  circumstance,  it 
was  concluded,  that  frequently,  particularly  in 
cold  or  wet  seasons,  the  grain  must  be  kiln-dried, 
as  is  done  in  the  north  of  England,  and  in  Scot- 
land, before  it  is  housed  and  threshed.  The 
wheat,  though  sown  between  the  fifteenth  and 
twentieth  of  May,  and  probably  sometimes  ear- 
lier or  later,  is  weighty,  and  produces  a  very 
fine  white  flour.  The  voyage  down  the  river, 
except  a  few  boisterous  days,  was  pleasant.  We 
had  some  noble  views,  interspersed  here  and 
there  with  something  like  villages,  chupels  and 
farm-houses.  Afterwards,  we  had  in  prospect 
a  bleak  and  dreary  coast  and  country,  whose 
craggedness  inspired  disagreeable  sensations. 
The  greatest  curiosities  were  the  seals,  whose 
history  and  manners  were  then  known  to  me,  but 
whose  living  form  excited  attention,  as  they 
were  creeping  up  or  basking  on  the  rocks.  The 
porpoises  perfectly  white,  in  vast  droves,  placed 
before  and  around  us,  and  drew  my  attention  and 
surprise,  as  none  but  the  black  southern  porpoise 
liucl  before  come  under  my  view.  To  become  a 
naturalist,  it  is  necessary  a  man  should  travel; 
li  was  many  years  before  books  could  persuade 
me  of  the  existence  of  a  green-haired  monkey; 
but  these  were  diminutive  objects  indeed  in  na- 
ture's scale.;  of  comparative  imagery,  when  cor- 


182 

irasted  with  the  immense  river  Cadaraequa,  or 
as  it  is  now  called  St.  Lawrence,  second  to  no 
river  in  the  world,  unless  it  be  the  La  Plata,  of 
South  America.  Making  this  observation,  you 
jmist  understand  me  to  include  within  it,  the 
lake  Superior,  and  the  waters  which  feed  that 
lake.  Off  Gaspy  Point,  where  we  soon  arrived, 
in  a  due  north  line,  across  the  island  of  Anti- 
costa,  the  river  is  about  ninety  miles  wide. 
Steering  with  favorable  weather,  the  island  of 
St.  Johns  came  in  view;  passing  it,  and  the  Gut 
of  Canceaux,  experiencing  some  stormy  weather 
upon  the  ocean,  and  a  few  difficulties,  we  hap- 
pily arrived  at  New-York  on  the  eleventh  of 
September,  1776,  and  anchored  three  miles  south 
of  Governor's  Island.  Now  it  was,  for  the  first 
time.,  that  we  heard  of  the  dilemma  in  which  our 
country  stood. 

The  battle  of  Long  Island,  on  the  twenty  se- 
venth of  August,  had  been  unsuccessfully  fought 
-by  our  troops,  many  of  whom  were   prisoners. 
In   such   hurrying  times,  intercourses  between 
hostile  armies  in  the  way   of  negotiation  upon 
any  point,  are  effected  with  difficulty.     We  had 
waited  patiently  several  weeks,  to  be  disembark- 
ed  on  our  own  friendly    shore ;   yet   tantalized 
every  day    with    reports,    that    to-morrew   we 
should -be   put  on    shore:   some,   and  in  a  little 
while  all,  began  to  fear  it  was  the  intention  of 
General  Howe,  to  detain  us  as  prisoners  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  good  will  of  sir  Guy  Carleton.  This 
notion  had  so  strongly  impressed  the  minds  of 
ji»y  friend  doctor  Thomas  Gibson,  and  a  young 
i)  i»n  called  John  Blair,  of  Hendricks,  that  they 
cl«  t« Tiiiined  to  escape  from  the  si  ip.  They  were, 
boti*  of  them,  athletic  and  able  bodied  men,  und 
most  adroit.     Gibson  planned  the  manner  of  es- 


i83 

cape  ;  its  ingeniousness,  hazard,  boldness  of  exe- 
cution am!  eventual  success,  received  the  ap- 
plause of  all,  but  was  disapproved,  upon  the 
principle  that  it  trenched  upon  their  honor,  and 
would  impede  our  release.  The  story  is  this  : 
Gibson  and  Blair,  in  the  evening,  dressed  in 
shirts  and  trowsers,  were  upon  the  main  deck 
with  their  customary  flapped  hats,  on  their 
heads.  Gibson  gave  me  a  squeeze  of  the  hand 
in  token  of  farewell ;  he  was  greeted  kindly,  for 
he  was  the  brother  of  my  soul.  He  and  his 
companion  went  to  the  forecastle,  where  there 
were  two  large  New-Foundland  dogs,  each  of 
which  had  his  party,  or  rather  his  partisans 
among  the  crew.  These,  the  adventurers  hiss- 
ed at  each  other.  The  dogs  being  engaged 
with  their  usual  fury,  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  sailors  and  many  of  the  prisoners:  they  took 
this  opportunity  of  stripping  and  letting  them- 
selves down  at  the  how  into  the  water.  Lean- 
ing over  the  sides  of  the  ship,  in  company  of 
some  friends,  in  the  secret,  and  unregardful  of 
the  dogs,  we  awaited  the  management  of  the 
flight.  The  last  lighted  cloud  appeared  low  in 
the  west.  Something  extraordinary  passed  along 
the  side,  a  foolish  ieiiow  asked,  ''what  is  that  1" 
"a  wave,  you  fool — a  mere  deception  of  sight," 
was  answered.  It  was  the  head  of  Gibson,  cov- 
ered by  his  large  black  hat.  "Within  a  few  yards 
of  Gibson  came  Blair,  but  with  a  smaller*  hat, 
he  was  obvious;  his  white  skin  discovered  him, 
hut  luckily  the  attention  of  the  "  ignoramus" 
was  engaged  another  way.  These  daring  men 
swam  to  the  barge  at  the  stern,  entered  it,  and 
slipped  the  rope.  They  had  rowed  a  thousand 
yards  hefore  the  boat  was  missed.  The  other 
boats  of  our  ship,  and  of  those  near  us,  were  des~ 


184 

patched  after  the  runaways,  it  was  too  late,  the 
fugitives  had  too  much  of  a  start  to  he  easily 
overtaken.  They  landed,  (having  rowed  about 
five  miles,)  naked,  in  our  own  country,  sorne- 
v/here  in  the  vicinity  of  Bergen-neek,  and  bar- 
tered the  boat  for  some  ordinary  clothing.  They 
wailed  on  general  Washington,  who  disapproved 
of  their  demeanor. 

A  short  time  after  the  foregoing  occurrence, 
a  most  beautiful  and  luminous,  but  baleful  sight 
occurred  to  us,  that  is,  the  city  of  New-York  on 
fire.  One  night,  (Sept.  22,)  the  watch  on  deck 
gave  a  loud  notice  of  this  disaster.  Running  up- 
on deck,  we  could  perceive  a  light,  which  at  the 
distance  we  were  from  it,  (four  miles,)  wras  ap- 
parently of  the  size  of  the  ilame  of  a  candle. 
This  light  to  me,  appeared  to  be  the  burning  of 
an  old  and  noted  tavern,  called  the  "  Fighting 
Cocks,"  (where,  ere  this  I  had  lodged,)  to  the 
cast  of  the  battery,  and  near  the  wharf.  The 
wind  was  southwardly,  and  blew  a  fresh  gale; 
the  flames  at  this  place,  because  of  the  wind,  in- 
creased rapidly.  In  a  moment  we  saw  another 
light  at  a  great  distance  from  the  lirst,  up  the 
North  river.  The  latter  light  seemed  to  be  an 
original,  distinct  and  new  formed  lire,  near  a  cel- 
ebrated tavern  in  the  Broadway  called  «  White- 
Hall."  Our  anxiety  for  the  fate  of  so  fine  a 
city,  caused  much  solicitude,  as  we  harboured 
suspicions  that  the  enerny  had  fired  it.  The 
•Dames  were  fanned  by  the  briskness  of  the 
breeze,  and  drove  the  destructive  effects  of  the 
element  on  all  sides.  When  the  fire  reached  the 
spire  of  a  large  steeple,  south  of  the  tavern, 
which  was  attached  to  a  large  church,  the  effect 
upon  the  eye  was  astonishingly  grand.  If  we 
could  have  divested  ourselves  of  the  knowledge* 


185 

that  it  was  the  property  of  our  fellow-citizens 
which  was  consuming,  the  view  might  have 
been  esteemed  sublime,  if  not  pleasing.  Thfe 
deck  of  our  ship,  for  many  hours,  was  lighted  as 
at  noon  day.  In  the  commencement  of  the  con- 
flagration, we  observed  many  boats  putting  off 
from  the  fleet,  rowing  speedily  towards  the 
city  ;  our  boat  was  of  the  number.  This  circum- 
stance repelled  the  idea,  that  our  enemies  were 
the  incendiaries,  for  indeed  they  professedly 
went  in  aid  of  the  inhabitants.  The  boat  re- 
turned about  day  light,  and  from  the  relation  of 
the  officer  and  the  crew,  we  clearly  discerned 
that  the  burning  of  New- York  wras  the  act  of 
some  mad-cap  Americans.  The  sailors  told  us 
in  their  blunt  manner,  that  they  had  seen  one 
American  hanging  by  the  heels  dead,  having  a 
bayonet  wound  through  his  breast.  They  named 
him  by  his  Christian  and  sirname,  which  they 
saw  imprinted  on  his  arm ;  they  averred  he 
was  caught  in  the  fact  of  firing  the  houses. 
They  told  us  also,  that  they  had  seen  one  per- 
son, who  was  taken  in  the  fact,  tossed  into  the 
lire,  and  that  severals  who  were  stealing,  and 
suspected  as  incendiaries,  were  bayonetted. 
Summary  justice  is  at  no  time  laudable,  but  in 
this  instance  it  may  have  been  correct.  If  the 
Greeks  could  have  been  resisted  at  Persepolis, 
every  soul  of  them  ought  to  have  been  massa- 
cred. The  testimony  we  received  from  the 
sailors,  my  own  view  of  the  distinct  begin- 
nings of  the  fare,  in  various  spots,  remote  from 
eut'h  other,  and  the  manner  of  its  spreading, 
impressed  my  mind  with  the  belief,  that  the 
burning  of  the  city  was  the  doings  of  toe  irost 
low  and  vile  of  persons,  for  the  purposes,  not 
only  of  thieving,  but  of  devastation.  This  seem- 


186 

ed  too,  the  general  sense,  not  only  of  the  Brit- 
ish, hut  that  of  (he  prisoners  then  aboard  ihc 
transports.  Laying  directly  south  of  the  city, 
and  in  a  range  with  Broadway,  we  had  a  fair 
and  full  view  of  the  whole  process.  The  per- 
sons in  the  ships  nearer  to  the  town  than  we 
.were,  uniformly  held  the  same  opinion.  It 
was  not  until  some  years  afterwards,  that  a 
doubt  was  created  ;  but  for  the  honor  of  our 
country  and  its  good  name,  an  ascription  was 
made,  of  the  firing  of  the  city,  to  accidental  cir- 
cumstances. It  may  be  well,  that  a  nation,  in 
the  heat  and  turbulence  of  war,  should  endeavor 
to  promote  its  interests,  by  the  propagating  re- 
ports of  its  own  innocency  and  prowess,  and  ac- 
cusing its  enemy  of  flagrant  enormity  and  das- 
tardliness,  (as  was  done  in  this  particular  case,) 
biit  when  peace  comes,  let  us,  in  God's  name,  do 
justice,  to  them  and  ourselves.  Baseness  and 
\illany  are  the  growth  of  all  climes,  and  of  all 
nations.  Without  the  most  numerous,  and  the 
Biost  cogent  testimony,  as  the  fact  occurred 
within  my  own  view,  the  eloquence  of  Cicero 
could  not  convince  me  that  the  firing  was  acci- 
dental. Some  time  after  the  burning  of  the  city, 
we  understood  that  we  were  to  be  embarked  in 
shallops,  and  landed  at  Elizabeth  (own- point. 

The  intelligence,  caused  a  sparkling  in  every 
eye.  On  the  next  day,  about  noon,  we  were  in 
the  boats: — adverse  winds  retarded  us.  It  was 
ten  or  eleven  at  night,  before  we  landed; — the 
Hioon  shone  beautifully.  Morgan  stood  in  the 
l)ow  of  the  boat,  making  a  spring,  not  easily  sur- 
passed, and  falling  on  the  earth,  as  it  were  to 
grasp  it— cried  «•  Oh  my  country.'*  We  that 
were  near  him,  pursued  his  example.  Now  a 
race  commenced;  which  in  quickness,  could 


187 

scarcely  be  exceeded,  and  soon  brought  us  to 
Elizabethtown.  Here,  tliose  of  us  who  were 
drowsy,  spent  an  uneasy  night.  Being  unex- 
pected guests,  and  the  town  full  of  troops,  no 
quarters  were  provided  for  us.  Joy  rendered 
beds  useless,  we  did  not  close  our  eyes  till  day- 
light. Singing,  dancing,  the  Indian  halloo,  in 
short,  every  species  of  vociferousness  wras  adopt 
cd  by  the  men,  and  many  of  the  most  respectable 
sergeants,  to  express  their  extreme  pleasure.  A 
stranger  coming  among  them,  would  have  pro- 
nounced them  mad,  or  at  least  intoxicated ; 
though  since  noon,  neither  food  nor  liquor  had 
passed  our  lips;  thus  the  passions  may  at  times 
have  an  influence  on  the  human  frame,  as  ine- 
briating as  wine,  or  any  other  liquor.  The 
morning  brought  us  plenty*  in  the  form  of  ra- 
tions of  beef  and  bread.  Hunger  allayed,  my 
only  desire  was,  to  proceed  homewards.  Mo- 
ney was  wanting.  How  to  obtain  it  in  a  place, 
w  »ere  all  my  friends  and  acquaintances  were 
alike  poor  and  destitute,  gave  me  great  anxiety 
anil  pain.  Walking  up  the  street  very  melan- 
choly, unknowing  what  to  do,  I  observed  a 
waggon,  built  in  the  Lancaster,  county  fash- 
ion, (which  at  that  time,  was  peculiar  in  Jersey,) 
unloading  stores  for  the  troops,  come  or  com- 
ing. The  owner  seeing  me,  grasping  my  hand 
with  fervor,  told  me,  every  one  believed  me  to 
be  dead.  Telling  him  our  story  in  a  compendi- 
ous manner,  the  good,  old  man,  without  solici- 
tation, presented  me  two  silver  dollars,  to  be 
repaid  at  Lancaster.  They  were  gladly  receiv- 
ed.* My  heart  became  easy.  The  next  day, 
in  company  with  the  late  colonel  Fcbiger,  and 

*  See  Note  XVI.: 


188 

the  present  general  Nichols,  and  some  other 
gentlemen,  we  procured  a  light  return- waggon, 
which  gave  us  a  cast  as  far  as  Princeton.  Here 
we  had  the  pleasure  of  conversing  with  Dr.  Wi- 
therspoon,  who  was  the  first  that  informed  us, 
of  a  resolution  of  Congress  to  augment  the  ar- 
my. It  gave  us  pleasure,  as  we  had  devoted 
ourselves  individually,  to  the  service  of  our 
country.  The  next  clay,  if  not  incorrect,  we 
proceeded  on  foot,  no  carriage  of  any  kind  he- 
ing  procurahle.  Night  brought  us  up  at  a  farm- 
house, somewhere  near  Bristol.  The  o\vner 
was  one  of  us,  that  is,  a  genuine  whig.  He 
requested  us  to  tarry  all  night,  which  we  de- 
clined. He  presented  us  a  supper,  that  was 
gratefully  received.  Hearing  our  story,  he  was 
much  affected.  We  then  tried  to  prevail  on 
him,  to  take  us  to  Philadelphia,  in  his  light 
waggon.  It  was  objected  that  it  stood  loaded 
with  hay  in  the  barn  iloor;  his  sons  were  asleep 
or  abroad.  We  removed  these  objections,  by 
unloading  the  hay,  while  this  good  citizen  pre- 
pared the  horses.  Mounting,  we  arrived  at  the 
<•'  Harp  and  Crown,"  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  To  us,  it  was  most  agreeable,  that 
\ve  passed  through  the  streets  of  Philadelphia, 
in  the  night  time,  as  our  clothing  was  not  only 
threadbare  but  shabby.  Here  we  had  friends 
asid  funds.  A  gentleman  advanced  me  a  sum 
sufficient  to  enable  me  to  exchange  my  loggias 
and  mockasins,  for  a  pair  of  stockings  and  hlioes, 
and  to  bear  my  expenses  home.  A  day  and  a 
half,  brought  me  to  the  arms  of  my  beloved  pa- 
rents. 

At  Philadelphia,  I  waited  upon  a  cousin  of 
rny  mother's,  iVlr.  Owen  Biddle,  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  *'  Council  of  Safety,"  who  informed 


189 

me,  that  while  in  captivity,  he  had  procured 
me  a  lieutenancy.  My  heart  was  otherwise  en. 
gaged.  Morgan  the  hero!  had  promised  and 
obtained  for  me,  a  captaincy  in  the  Virginia- 
line.  Following  the  fortunes  of  that  bold  and 
judicious  commander,  my  name  might  have  been 
emblazoned,  in  the  rolls  of  patriotic  fame.  But 
alas !  in  the  course  of  eight  weeks,  after  my 
return  from  captivity,  a  slight  cold,  caught 
when  skating  on  the  ice  of  Susquehanna,  or  in 
pursuing  the  wild^turkey,  among  the  Kittatinny 
hills,  put  an  end  to  all  my  visionary  schemes 
of  ambition.  This  cause  renewed  that  abomin- 
able disorder,  the  scurvy,  (which  I  had  sup- 
posed, was  expelled  from  my  system,)  accom- 
panied by  every  morbid  symptom,  which  had 
been  so  often  observed  at  Quebec,  attendant 
upon  others.  The  medical  men  of  all  classes, 
feeing  engaged  in  the  army,  that  species  of  as- 
sistance was  unattainable,  in  the  degree  requi- 
site, lameness,  as  you  now  observe  it,  was  the 
consequence.  Would  to  God  !  my  extreme  suf- 
ferings, had  then  ended  a  life,  which  since, 
has  been  a  tissue  ©f  labor,  pain,  and  misery. 


NOTES. 


NOTE  I.  page  18. 


The  gentlemen  composing  this  party,  were  unwil- 
ling to  impose  upon  me,  any  thing  above  my  apparent 
strength,  yet  in  the  heyday  of  youth,  I  would  clap  a 
canoe  on  my  back,  and  run  a  hundred  yards  across 
a  carrying-place.  This  is  done  by  a  particular  mode 
of  management.  There  is  a  broad  stave,  some  thing 
like  a  flour  barrel-stave,  but  strait  and  thicker,  with 
two  perforations  in  it,  an  inch  or  more  apart,  towards 
the  middle  of  the  stave.  A  thong  of  stout  leather  is 
inserted  through  those  holes^  and  tightly  bound  to  the 
central  cross-bar  of  the  canoe.  The  carrier  swings 
the  canoe  by  a  sudden  jerk  upon  his  shoulders,  and 
which  he  can  handle  with  ease,  throwing  the  hollow 
side  of  the  canoe  on  his  back,  the  stave,  if  it  may  be 
so  called,  resting  principally  on  the  hind  part  of 
the  head,  and  the  prominences  of  the  shoulders, 
Tims  he  may,  if  a  strong  man,  pass  over  a  consider- 
able space  of  ground  of  a  difficult  nature,  in  a  short 
time  with  much  speed. 


NOTE  II.  page  23. 

In  traversing  this  meadow,  which  was  a  beautiful 
plain,  one  of  tne  party,   found  the  horns  of  a  moose- 


192 

deer,  which  from  appearances  had  been  shed  in  the 
foregoing  summer,  or  perhaps  in  the  beginning  of 
autumn  :  being  then  about  five  feet  ten  inches  high, 
Getchell  facetiously,  yet  gravely,  insisted  by  way  of 
measurement,  that  I  should  stand  under  the  main 
fork.  The  crown  of  my  head,  rubbed  against  the 
crown-work  of  the  horns.  This  to  all  of  us,  was  mat- 
ter of  great  surprize.  However,  in  a  short  time  after- 
wards the  circumstance  of  size,  was  thought  little  of, 
when  we  came  into  contact  with  the  living  animal, 
upon  whose  head  such  horns  grew.  There  is  a  pau- 
city of  words  for  a  description  upon  paper,  of  the  enor- 
mous dimensions  of  the  male  moose  which  we  saw, 
and  of  their  horns.  The  male-deer  bears  horns  ;  the 
female  bears  none.  Those  horns,  which  we  examined 
minutely,  were  of  a  large  size,  but  not  so  large  as 
some  we  saw  on  the  living  deer.  About  midway  of 
the  horn,  from  the  crown  of  the  head,  there  is  a  broad, 
flat  part  of  the  horn,  called  the  blade,  which,  in  the 
specimen  under  examination,  was  full  two  of  my  spans, 
or  nearly  twenty  inches  from  whence  branched  the 
proud  antlers  or  prong.  There  is  no  beast  of  the  for- 
est more  hand  somely  decorated,  unless  it  be  the 
rein-deer  of  the  north  of  Europe  and  Asia.  In  the 
evenings,  in  the  first  asension  of  the  Kennebec  and 
Dead-rivers,  sitting  around  our  solitary  smoke  fires, 
we  have  often,  seen  those  stately  deer,  passing  the 
river  in  droves,  sometimes  of  fifteen  or  twenty  in  num- 
ber, the  one  walking  after  the  other  in  the  accustomed 
path,  but  due  care  and  discipline  kept  our  arms  quiet. 
The  country  around  Natanis  house,  a  circle  of  ten  or 
fifteen  miles,  was  at  that  time,  an  admirable  uhur  ing- 
ground."  One  day,  suddenly  passing  a  sharp  pou;«,  of 
the  river,  about  five  miles  below  Natanis  cabbin, 
Ave  as  suddenly '  fell  back.  We  wanted  fresh  food. 
Regardless  ot  what  might  follow,  Steele  permitted  us 
to  fire.  We  had  seen  five  or  six  of  those  monstrous 
deer,  standing  in  the  water  knee-deep,  feeding  on 
their  favorite  food,  the  red  willow.  Boyd,  Wheeler 
-and  myself  passed  the  river,  out  of  sight  of  the  moose. 


193 

in  the  most  cautionary  manner.  The  stream  here 
was  not  more  than  sixty  yards  wide.  We  approached 
them  through  the  thick  underwood,  which  clothed 
the  bank.  Boyd  preceded.  The  rustling  of  the  leaves 
alarmed  the  deer.  They  threw  up  their  heads.  What 
u  sight !  The  antlers  of  several  of  them,  seemed  to 
rxceed  in  size,  those  we  had  already  seen.  Boyd  ap- 
prehensive they  were  about  to  run  from  us,  fired  with- 
out giving  Wheeler  and  myself,  an  opportunity  to  take 
a  stand,  but  the  greatest  misfortune  was,  that  the 
worthy  Boyd,  had  neglected  to  clean  his  gun  that  day, 
it  made  long  fire,  and  but  a  trifling  report.  The  bullet 
scarcely  reached  the  deer.  Wheeler  and  myself  were 
creeping  to  our  places,  when  Boyd's  gun  disturbed 
the  animals.  The  guns  in  our  hands,  were  ineffec- 
tually discharged.  This  jejune  occurrence,  is  related 
merely,  for  the  introduction  of  a  single  observation. 
When  the  bull  moose,  at  the  rustling  of  the  leaves, 
and  afterwards  when  Boyd  fired,  threw  up  their  heads 
— the  tips  of  their  horns,  seemed  to  me  to  stand  eigh- 
teen feet  in  the  air.  The  ridge  of  the  shoulder,  seem- 
ed seventeen  hands  high.  The  largest  of  these  ani- 
mals was  a  lusus  nature.  The  moose  in  ordinary,  is 
of  an  ash-colored  grey.  The  one  I  speak  of,  was 
flecked,  in  large  spots  of  red,  on  a  pure  white  ground, 
His  skin,  if  we  could  have  obtained  it,  would  have 
been  a  valuable  curiosity. 


NOTE  III.  Page  29. 

The  birch-bark-canoe,  as  intimated  before,  in  the 
body  of  the  work,  is  not  only  a  curious,  but  a  most  in- 
genious machine.  So  far  as  my  descriptive  powers  ex- 
tend, you  shall  have  its  construction,  described  in  writ- 
ing, but  without  the  aid  of  the  pencil,  it  seems  to  be 
almost  impossible  to  convey  to  you  a  just  and  accurate 
comprehension,  of  the  distinct  parts  of  this  beautiful 
piece  of  water-craft.  Having  had  several  opportuni- 
ties to  observe  the  manner  of  the  formation  of  the 
birch-hark  cnnoe,  in  its  various  stages,  a  description  of 


194 

ks  sections  may  not  be  disagreeable  to  you.  In  the 
construction  of  the  canoe,  the  bow  and  stern  pieces  are 
separate  frames,  alike  in  dimensions,  and  made  of 
cedar,  cypress,  or  any  other  light  wood ;  yet  very  light, 
and  so  well  or  tightly  bound  by  tenons,  as  to  require  a 
considerable  effort  to  break  them.  These  bow  and 
stern  pieces,  suppose  a  canoe  of  ten,  or  even  fifty  feet, 
are  connected  by  laths,  with  that  which  I  have  called 
gunwales,  (gunnels,)  correspondent  in  size  with  -the 
intended  length  of  the  canoe.  These  gunwales  are 
made  from  the  toughest  and  best  of  the  timber  that  the 
country  produces.  The  gun -wales  are  strongly  secured 
to  the  head  and  stern  by  tenons  and  the  cedar  root  in 
a  most  neat  and  strong  manner.  The  ribs  of  the  canoe, 
according  to  its  size,  are  from  two  to  five  inches  in  di- 
ameter, of  the  straightest  cedar,  or  fir,  without  knots, 
closely  fitted  together,  side  by  side,  and  well  sewed  by 
means  of  an  awl  to  the  gun-wales.  This  frame  is 
covered  with  the  yellow-birch-rind,  an  eighth,  a  sixth, 
or  a  fourth  of  an  inch  thick.  This  bark,  when  applied 
to  canoes,  is  from  two  to  four  feet  in  length ;  commen- 
surate with  the  extension  of  the  bow  and  stern  from 
each  other.  Each  part  of  this  bark,  where  the  seams 
meet,  is  nicely  sewed  together  by  the  split  cedar  root, 
these  seams  are  then  pitched  over  in  a  ridge,  by  a 
hard  pitch,  in  the  width  of  perhaps  an  inch  or  more,  so 
as  to  make  the  vessel,  truly  that  which  seamen  call 
water-tight.  But  to  this  clumsy  attempt  to  describe 
to  you  a  boat,  which  you  have  never  seen,  and  perhaps 
never  will  see,  it  seems  requisite  to  add  another  obser- 
vation. The  bark  which  encircles  the  bottom  of  the 
canoe,  is  strongly  attached  to  the  gun-wales  by  cedar 
root,  much  in  the  same  manner  as  I  have  seen  you 
threading  wire,  for  the  making  of  artificial  flowers, 
This  bark,  thus  prepared  and  applied,  speaking  com- 
paratively, (great  with  small,)  is  a  much  stronger  ma- 
terial, than  your  thread,  either  of  flax  or  silk.  The 
gunwale  was  as  neatly  laced  by  the  cedar,  and  almost  as 
ornamental,  and  equally  strong  in  texture,  as  the  canes 
%ve  sometimes  see  from  India,  covered  with  splits  of 


195 

ratteen,  or  some  other  pliant  plant,  of  southern  growth 
The  paddles  are  uniformly  made  of  ash,  where  it  can 
be  obtained,  but  most  usually  of  birch,  or  even  of  softer 
wood,  in  this  part  of  Canada.  Many  of  the  paddles 
which  I  saw,  were  double-bladed,  that  is  a  blade  at  each 
end  of  the  handle  or  pole,  and  in  the  hands  of  a  stronp; 
person  would  be  from  its  formation,  apparently  as  light 
as  a  feather.  The  pushing-pole  was  of  the  same  kind 
of  materials,  but  light,  and  if  iron  could  be  had,  was 
shod  at  the  but-end.  The  rapid  and  rocky  rivers  which 
those  poor  people  the  Indians,  must  ascend  and  des- 
cend in  their  hunting  excursions,  and  which  they  do 
with  inconceivable  dexterity,  requires  a  quickness  of 
motion  of  the  body,  particularly  the  arms,  which  is 
truly  astonishing.  The  paddle,  at  this  moment  used 
on  the  right,  and  then  instantly  cast  on  the  left  hand  of 
the  canoe,  requires  a  celerity  of  action  which  none  but 
such  as  are  used  to  those  exercises  dare  undertake.  In 
those  instances  the  double-bladed  paddle,  saves  half 
the  time  which  would  be  employed  by  the  single  blad- 
ed,  in  these  arduous  but  necessary  labours.  Activity 
and  agility,  from  the  circumstance,  of  the  precarious- 
ness  of  an  Indian  life,  and  their  manner  of  subsisting, 
become  in  their  education  a  primary  parental  motive  ; 
without  those  qualities,  an  Indian  can  never  acquire  fame, 
and  is  often  starved. 

It  often  re-exhilirates  my  mind,  when  reflecting 
on  the  waywardness  and  unhappiness  of  my  life, 
to  remember  the  occurrences,  (July  1773,)  in  a 
part  of  a  days  journey  from  the  windlass  of  the  old 
carrying  place,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  west  of 
Niagara,  by  a  path  which  led  us  to  a  celebrated  foun- 
tain, a  little  below  the  brow  of  the  hill,  called  Mount 
Pleasant,  and  thence  to  the  falls.  My  youthful  imagi- 
nation was  greatly  excited.  The  company  consisted 
of  a  French  gentleman,  my  uncle  John  Henry,  and  my- 
self. The  Frenchman  was  a  trader  who  had  but  just 
arrived  from  the  Illinois  country,  and  had  dealt  beyond 
the  Mississippi.  When  we  came  to  Stedman's,  his 
canoe,  attended  by  three  or  four  couriers  dt  bois^  lay  on 
the  beach  turned  upside  down?  with  an  immerse  number 


196 

< M  packs  of  beaver,  press-packed,  strewed  around,  per- 
haps the  whole  might  have  been  3000  Ib.  wt.  The  ca- 
tioe  was  of  birch,  fifty  feet  in  length,  most  beautifully 
made,  its  breadth  was  probably  from  six  to  seven  ieet 
m  the  middle,  I  examined  with  a  curiosity,  such  as  a. 
!>oy  of  my  age  might  possess. 


NOTE  IV— -Page  53. 

Morgan  was  a  strict  disciplinarian.  Permit  an 
anecdote.  He  had  obtained  the  command  of  the  rifle 
corps  from  Arnold,  without  any  advertence  to  the  bet- 
ter claim  of  Hendricks,  who,  though  the  youngest  man 
was  of  the  three  captains,  in  point  of  rank,  by  the  dates 
of  commissions,  the  superior  officer.  Hendricks,  for 
the  sake  of  peace  in  the  army,  and  of  good  order,  pru* 
dently  and  good  naturedly  acquiesced  in  his  assumption 
of  the  command,  for  Morgan  had  seen  more  service  in 
our  former  wars. 

At  this  place,  Morgan  had  given  it  out  in  orders, 
r.hat  no  one  should  fire.  One  Chamberlaine,  a  worth- 
less fellow,  who  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  draw 
his  bullet,  had  gone  some  hundreds  of  yards  into  the 
woods,  and  discharged  his  gun.  Lieut.  Steele  hap- 
pened to  be  in  that  quarter  at  the  time  ;  Steele  had  but 
arrived  at  the  fire,  where  we  sat,  when  Morgan,  who 
had  seen  him  coming,  approached  our  camp,  and  seat- 
ed himself  within  our  circle.  Presently  Chamberlaine. 
came,  gun  in  hand,  and  was  passing  eur  fire,  towards 
that  of  his  mess.  Morgan  called  to  the  soldier — ac- 
cused him  as  tho  defaulter — this  the  man,  (an  arrant 
liar,)  denied.  Morgan  appealed  to  Steele.  Steele  ad- 
mitted lie  heard  the  report,  but  knew  not  the  party 
who  discharged  the  gun.  Morgan  suddenly  springing 
to  a  pile  of  billets,  took  one,  and  swore  he  would  knock 
the  accused  down  unless  he  confessed  the  fact.  In* 
stantly,  Smith  seized  another  billet,  and  swore  he 
would  strike  Morgan  if  he  struck  the  man.  Morgan 
knowing  the  tenure  of  his  rank,  receded.  This  was 


197 

the  only  spirited  act  I  knew  of  Smith.  Such  were  the 
rough-hewn  characters,  which,  in  a  few  subsequent 
years,  by  energy  of  mind  and  activity  of  body,  bore  us 
safely  through  the  dreadful  storms  of  the  revolution. 
Morgan  was  of  an  impetuous  temper,  yet  withal,  pru- 
dent in  war,  as  he  was  fearless  of  personal  danger, 
His  passions  were  quick  and  easily  excited,  but  they 
were  soon  cooled.  This  observation  is  applicable  to 
many  men  of  great  talents,  and  to  none  more  than 
Morgan.  His  severity,  at  times,  has  made  me  shudder, 
though  it  was  necessary,  yet  it  would  have  been  a 
pleasing  trait  in  his  character,  if  it  had  been  less  rigid-. 


NOTE  V.  page  64. 

I  cannot  exactly  recollect  the  time,  but  the  recordf 
of  Government  will  show,  that  this  miserable  man, 
was  indicted  of  a  burglary  and  convicted.  His  respect- 
able brother,  Mr.  Jacob  Shaeffer  of  Lancaster,  (Penn.) 
applied  to  me,  to  certify  in  his  favor,  [It  was  in  1780 
or  l^Sl?!  to  the  president  and  council,  who  had  the 
power  of  pardon.  The  representation  was,  in  sub- 
stance similar  to  the  present.  This  part  of  our  trans- 
actions, rests  in  my  memory ;  but  the  impression  ie 
so  strong,  that  I  cannot  forget  it.  It  gave  me  great 
pleasure  to  imagine,  that  probably  I  might  again 
contribute  to  the  saving  the  life  of  a  man,  which  I 
had  actually  saved  once  before.  At  that  time,  by  our 
law,  the  punishment  of  burglary  was  death,  and  my 
compatriot  Shaeffer,  was  under  that  sentence.  My 
soul  was  grieved. 

In  a  drunken  bout  at  Philadelphia,  he  had  blindly 
stumbled  into  a  house,  which  he  took  to  be  his  lodg- 
ings. Here  detected  in  one  of  the  chambers,  he  was 
charged  as  a  felon.  Gracious  God!  upon  the  super- 
fices  of  thy  earth,  there  was  never  a  more  unoffending 
soul.  He  could  scarcely  see  a  yard  before  him. 

It  has  amused  and  pleased  me  often,  to  hear  that 
he  extols  me.  He  is  now  industrious, 

R  * 


198 

The  fate  of  James  Warner,  (see  p.  65.)  among  others, 
was  really  lamentable.  He  was  young,  handsome  in  ap- 
pearance, not  r$ore  than  twenty-five  years  of  age  ;  he  was 
athletic  and  seemed  to  surpass  in  bodily  strength.  Yet 
withal,  he  was  a  dolt.  His  wife  was  beautiful,  though 
coarse  in  manners.  The  husband  on  the  other  hand, 
was  a  poor  devil,  constantly  out  of  view,  or  in  the  back- 
ground of  the  picture. 

We  heard  nothing  of  them  after  entering  the  marsh, 
and  until  a  month  had  elapsed  at  Quebec.  In  Decem- 
ber, the  wife  or  widow  of  poor  James  Warner,  came 
to  our  quarters  on  the  Low- grounds,  bearing  her  hus- 
band's rifle,  his  powder-horn  and  pouch.  She  appear- 
ed fresh  and  rosy  as  ever.  This  arose  from  the  reli- 
gious and  gratuitous  spirit  of  the  Canadians. 

The  story  Mrs.  Jemima  Warner  told,  was  extremely 
affecting,  and  may  be  worth  remembering,  as  it  is 
something  like  a  sample  of  the  whole  of  our  distresses 
and  intolerable  disasters. 

The  husband  was  a  great  eater  His  stores*  of  pro- 
visions, after  the  partition,  at  the  head  of  the  Chau- 
dicre,  were  in  a  little  time  consumed,  The  consum- 
mate wife  ran  back  from  the  marsh,  and  found  her  be- 
loved husband  sitting  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  where  he 
said  he  was  determined  to  die. 

The  tender-hearted  woman,  attended  her  ill-fated  hus- 
band several  days,  urging  his  march  forward;  he  again 
sat  down.  Finding  all  her  solicitations  could  not  induce 
him  to  rise,  she  left  him,  having  placed  all  the  bread 
in  her  possession,  between  his  lees  with  a  canteen  of 
water.  She  bore  his  arms  and  ammunition  to  Quebec, 
\vhcre  she  recounted  the  story.  The  nephews  of  Na- 
tanis,  afterwards  at  Quebec,  confirmed  the  relation  of 
this  good  woman.  For  when  going  up,  and  returning 
down  the  river  with  our  inestimable  friend  M'CIeland, 
she  urged  them,  suffused  in  tears  to  take  her  husband 
on  board.  They  were  necessarily  deaf  to  her  entreaties. 
Thus  perished  this  unfortunate  man,  at  a  period  of  Ms 
age,  when  the  bodily  powers,  arc  generally  in  their 


199 

full  perfection.  He  and  many  others,  who  died  in 
the  wilderness,  lost  their  lives  by  an  inconsiderate 
gluttony.  They  ate  as  much  at  a  meal,  as  ought  to 
have  been  in  our  circumstances  the  provision  of  four 
days,  and  a  march  of  one  hundred  miles.  Young  men, 
without  knowledge  or  a  previous  experience,  are  veiy 
difficult  to  govern  by  sage-advice,  when  the  rage  of 
hunger  assails. 

To  conclude  this  lengthy  note,  allow  me  to  intro- 
duce to  you,  another  instance  of  human  misery,  which 
came  under  my  eye,  in  this  dolorous  and  dreadful 
march.  As  was  before  observed  in  the  body  of"  the 
work  "  At  the  head  of  the  Chaudiere,  it  was  given 
out  by  the  officers,  that  order  would  not  be  required 
from  the  soldiery  in  the  march,  &c."  Yet  the  com- 
panies, being  in  the  most  part  either  fellow-townsmen, 
or  from  the  same  county  adhered  together,  bound  by 
that  affectionate  attachment,  which  is  engendered  by 
the  locality  of  birth,  or  the  habitudes  of  long  and  se- 
vere services,  in  a  communion  and  endurance  of  hard- 
ships and  desperate  adventures.  It  appears  to  me,  to 
be  a  principle  of  the  human  mind,  "that  the  more 
hardships  we  endure  in  company  of  each  other,  the 
greater  becomes  our  esteem  and  affection  for  our  fel- 
low-sufferers." For  myself,  this  is  said  from  experi- 
mented woe  and  extreme  calamity. 

We  had  no  path,  the  river  was  our  guide.  One  day, 
either  the  second  or  third  of  this  march,  a  mountain 
putting  in  a  most  precipitate  form  into  the  river,  com- 
pelled us  to  pass  the  margin  of  the  stream  upon  a  long 
log,  which  had  been  brought  thither  by  some  former 
freshet.  The  bark  and  limbs  of -tru^  tree  had/been 
worn  away  by  the  rubbings  of  the  ice,  antUheiKmk  lay 
lengthwise  along  the  narrow  passage,  smooth  and  slip- 
pery, and  gorged  the  pass.  This  difficulty  had  col- 
lected here  a  heterogenous  mass  of  the  troops,  who 
claimed  the  right  of  passage  according  to  the  order  of 
coming  to  it.  The  log  was  to  be  footed,  or  the  water, 
of  the  depth  of  three  or  four  feet,  must  be  waded. 
There  was  no  alternative.  An  eastern  man,  bare-footed, 


200    , 

bare-headed,  and  thinly  clad,  lean  and  wretched  from 
abstinence,  with  his  musket  in  hand,  passed  the  log  im- 
mediately before  me.  His  foot  slipped,  and  he  fell 
several  feet  into  the  water.  We  passed  on  regardless 
of  his  fate.  Even  his  immediate  friends  and  comrades, 
many  of  whom  were  on  the  log  at  the  same  moment* 
did  not  deign  to  lend  him  an  assisting  hand  Death 
stared  us  in  the  face.  I  gave  him  a  sincere  sigh  at 
parting,  for  to  lose  my  place  in  the  file,  might  have 
been  fatal.  This  pitiable  being  died  in  the  wilderness. 
The  hard  fate  of  many  others  might  be  recapitulated? 
but  the  dreadful  tale  of  incidents,  if  truly  told,  would 
merely  serve  to  lacerate  the  heart  of  pity,  and  harro\* 
up  the  feelings  of  the  soul  of  benevolence.  Tears 
many  years  since,  have  often  wetted  my  cheeks,  when 
recollecting  the  disasters  of  that  unfortunate  campaign* 
the  memorable  exit  of  my  dearest  friends,  and  of  many 
worthy  fellow-citizens,  whose  worth  at  this  time,  is 
embalmed  solely  in  the  breasts  of  their  surviving  as- 
sociates. Seven  died  sheerly  from  famine ;  and  many 
others  by  disorders  arising  from  hard  service  in  the 
wilderness. 


NOTE  VI.  Page  113,  and  NOTE  XL  Page  144. 

In  relation  to  the  small-pox,  the  circumstance  about 
to  be  related,  is  most  assuredly  true,  as  it  is  known  to 
me  of  my  own  particular  knowledge.  A  number  of 
women  loaded  with  the  infection  of  the  small-pox,  came 
into  our  cantonments. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1776,  our  army  was  reduced 
by  decease  of  men,  or  debilitation  of  body,  so  that  they 
could  not  act  effectively,  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  a 
disreputable  retreat  took  place,  which  it  was  not  then 
quite  prudent  to  explain.  Now  it  may  be  safely  as- 
serted, that  great  numbers  of  the  soldiers  inoculated 
themselves  for  the  small-pox,  by  laceration  under  the 
finger  nails,  by  means  ot  pins  or  needles,  either  to  ob* 
tain  an  avoidance  of  duty,  or  to  get  over  that  horrible 
disorder  in  an  easy  and  speedy  way. 


NOTE  VII,  Page  123. 

The  death  of  my  friend  Boyd,  was  to  me  as  a  thun- 
derbolt ;  painful  in  an  excessive  degree  ;  many  a  tear 
has  since  been  shed  to  his  manes.  In  the  autumn  of 
1779,  he  commanded  a  company  of  rifle-men,  of  the 
first  Pennsylvania  regiment.  When  Sullivan  had  pen- 
etrated into  the  Seneca  country,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Genessee  river.  Boyd,  as  my  information  is 
from  various  gentlemen,  was  ordered  with  a  band  of 
twenty  choice  men,  before  daylight  to  make  an  excur- 
sion towards  an  Indian  village,  on  the  river  Genessee, 
(which  flows  north  into  lake  Ontario,)  at  a  distance  of 
eight  miles,  for  the  purpose  of  making  discoveries.  la 
his  return,  arriving  at  a  rising  ground,  a  knoll,  he  heard 
a  rustling  of  the  leaves  in  his  front :  an  enemy  was  sus- 
pected ;  he  gathered  his  men  around  him,  each  taking 
his  tree.  The  enemy  was  sightless  to  Boyd,  and  his 
party,  yet  the  approach  around  him  was  sensible  to 
every  one.  Boyd  not  knowing  the  number  of  his  as* 
sailants,  it  is  said,  considered  them  as  a  small  body  of 
observation.  This  party  of  Indians,  probably  one  thou- 
sand, encompassed  Boyd  and  his  men,  gradually : 
a  defence  worthy  of  the  character  of  Boyd  took  place. 
Every  man  he  had  was  killed,  except  three,  who  broke 
through  the  Indians,  and  brought  the  doleful  tidings  to 
our  camp,  Boyd  was  taken,  and  carried  alive,  to  the 
Indian-town,  where  he  was  tortured  after  their  savage 
custom,  and  his  body  mangled  in  the  most  horrible 
manner.  General  Simpson,  who  was  then  with  the 
.u*tm ,  assures  me,  that  on  the  following  day,  when  the 
troops  arrived  at  the  town,  in  the  wigwams,  they  found 
a  number  of  fresh  scalps  stretched  in  the  usual  man- 
ner on  small  hoops,  and  painted.  The  head  of  Boyd 
Jay  in  one  of  the  cabins,  newly  dissevered*  His  scalp 
was  still  moist  and  hooped  and  painted.  Simpson  kne\v 
it  by  its  long  brown  and  silky  hair  :  it  is  now  preserved 
as  a  relic  of  our  friend.  An  officer,  (captain  A.  Hen- 
derson,) lately,  in  describing  this  unequal,  but  arduous 
fight,  upon  the  part  of  Boyd,  told  me,  «  that  the  hands 


202 

of  the  dead  men,  in  many  instances,  were  fast  closed 
upon  the  hair  of  Indians." 

To  give  you  a  more  perfect  idea  of  the  brutality  of 
savage  torture,  arid  of  heart-rending  sensations.  I  can 
do  no  better  than  to  lay  before  you,  the  letter  of  the 
honorable  Thomas  Campbell,  of  the  senate,  who  him- 
self has  been  a  martyr  in  our  cause.  He  saw  the 
corpse  of  the  unfortunate  Boyd  on  the  following  day, 
and  interred  it.  Since  the  death  of  colonel  Crawford 
we  know  nothing  like  the  present  martyrdom,  in  the 
cause  of  liberty ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped,  from  the  pru- 
dence and  strength  of  the  federal  government,  nothing 
of  the  kind  will  again  occur  in  our  future  wars  with 
the  aborigines  of  our  country. 

"  SENATE  CHAMBER,  LANCASTER 

"January   30th,   1809. 
«  SIR, 

«  Captain  lieutenant  Thomas  Boyd,  belonging 
"  to  the  riflemen  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  was  most 
"  inhumanly  murdered  by  the  Indians.  His  death  oc- 
«  curred  on  the  13th  day  of  September,  1779,  at  the 
«  Genessee  Castle,  on  genera)  Sullivan's  expedition  to 
"  the  north-west-ward,  against  the  Six-nation  Indians. 
"  He  was  sent  on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  September, 
«  from  the  camp,  near  a  lake  called  "  Conesus,"  with 
«  a  party  of  men,  consisting  of  twenty  soldiers,  five 
«  volunteers  and  an  Indian  chief,  named  Han-Jost, 
«  belonging  to  the  Oneida  nation  :  in  all  twenty-seven 
«  in  number.  They  were  sent  by  general  Sullivan, 
«  to  reconneitre  an  Indian-town,  supposed  to  be  about 
«  six  miles  distant  from  the  camp.  On  the  morning 
"  of  the  12th  of  September,  the  army  took  up  the  line 
«  of  march  before  sunrise,  but  marching  a  short  dis 
«  tance,  was  obliged  to  halt,  till  the  pioneers  made  a 
«  bridge  over  a  morass,  otherwise  the  cannon  could 
«  not  have  been  brought  up.  The  town  that  captain 
"  Boyd  was  taken  to,  was  evacuated  by  all  except 
"  two  Indians,  one  was  on  horseback,  the  other  was 
"  leading  a  cow.  James  Elliot  and  Timothy  Murphy 
"  were  -sent  to  stop  them,  they  both  discharged  their 


203 

«  guns  at  the  same  time,  the  one  that  led  the  cow  was 
«  killed,  the  other  though  severely  'wounded  escaped. 
«  Boyd  returning  slowly,  expecting  to  meet  the  army 
«  saw  an  Indian  start  up  and  run  off.  It  was  with  great 
"  difficulty,  that  Boyd  stopt  the  men  from  pursuit,  at 
"  the  request  of  Han-Jost,  who  said  the  Indian  was 
"  only  u  a  runner"  sent  to  draw  them  into  an  ambus- 
"  cade.  Eighteen  of  the  soldiers  were  killed,  and 
"  Han-Jost  the  Oneida  chief,  was  made  a  greater  sa- 
«  crifice,  than  any  of  the  white  men,  who  fell  or  were 
"  taken  at  that  place. 

«  Captain  Boyd  and  Michael  Parker  were  made 
"  prisoners,  and  taken  to  the  Genessee  Castle,  and  there 
i4  most  inhumanly  murdered.  Boyd's  head  was  taken 
«•<  off  and  totally  skinned,  his  right  eye  was  taken  out,  as 
«  also  his  tongue.  His  right  foot,  from  the  ball  of 
«  the  heel  to  the  toes,  was  laid  open  as  if  with  a  knife, 
"  He  was  cut  open  across  the  bottom  of  his  belly,  and 
"  his  bowels  were  taken  out,  and  a  very  long  knife, 
«  was  sticking  in  between  his  shoulders,  descending 
"  to  the  vital  parts.  This  seems  to  have  been  the 
a  coup  de  grace. 

"  General  Simpson  and  myself,   were  sent  to  see 

the  corpse  of  Boyd  interred.     I  spread  a  blanket  on 

4  the  Jocund  beside  him,  we  then  turned  the  corpse 

1  overan  it.     I  took  the  head  of  the  deceased,  and  put 

it  as  near  the  neck  as  possible.     I  procured  a  needle 

and  thread  from  one  of  the  taylors,  and  sewed  the 

«  corpse  up  as  well  as  I  could.     As  to  the  head  of 

"  Michael  Parker,    it  could  not  be  found.      All  the 

«  flesh  was  cut  out,    from  his  shoulders  downward, 

«  and  otherwise  his  body  was  most  inhumanly  mangled. 

«  We  interred  the  corpses  of  both,  near  the  Genes- 

^  see  Castle,  in  separate  graves,  on  the  1 4th  day  of  Sep- 

«  tember,  1779. 

"  I  am  Sir, 

«  Your  humble  servant 

«  THOMAS  CAMPBELL. 
«  Late  a  captain  of  the  fourth 

"  Pennsylva  regiment, 

"  To    THE    HON.    JOHN    JOS.    HENRY." 


204 

Though  we  have  no  account  from  an  eye  witness, 
of  the  barbarous  manner  in  which  captain  Boyd  was 
tortured,  yet  we  may  conceive  from  the  appearance 
of  his  body,  that  the  most  malignant  and  hellish  pains, 
were  exercised  upon  it.  The  being  embowelled,  con- 
veys an  idea  of  a  known  mode  of  Indian  torment : 
the  fixing  an  end  of  the  entrails  to  the  stake,  and  com- 
pelling the  prisoner  by  fire  and  blows,  to  run  till  the 
conglomerated  mass  is  expended.  Upon  the  subject 
of  these  tortures,  look  at  Doctor  Colden's  History  of 
the  Mohawks,  and  Judge  Smith's  History  of  New- 
York. 

Colonel  Cainbell  is  of  opinion,  that  the  wound  along 
the  sole  of  captain  Boyd's  foot,  was  made  before  the 
savages  brought  him  to  their  (Castle)  or  village.  His 
reason  is,  that  the  wound  was  filled  with  bits  of  rotten 
branches  of  wood,  and  small  pieces  of  leaves.  The 
conjecture  may  be  true,  as  Indian  punishment,  at  its 
acme,  is  to  give  the  greatest  degree  of  pain. 


NOTE  VIII.  page  125. 


Of  the  treatment  of  Ethan  Allen,  at  the  time  spo- 
ken of,  we  knew  nothing  but  from  report,  which  we 
then  thought  well-grounded,  and  the  truth  of  which, 
at  this  day,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt.  He  was  a 
man  of  much  peculiarity  of  character.  Large,  power- 
ful of  body,  a  most  ferocious  temper,  (fearing  neither 
Ciod  nor  man,)  of  a  most  daring  courage,  and  a 
pertinacity  of  disposition,  which  was  unconquerable, 
and  very  astonishing  HI  all  his  undertakings  :  withal 
he  had  the  art  of  making  himself  beloved,  and  revered 
by  all  his  followers.  When  he  wus  taken  in  the  Isle 
of  Montreal,  in  1775,  the  government  found  it  neces- 
sary to  confine  him  in  a  cage,  as  one  \vouid  a  wild 
beast,  and  thus  aboard  ship,  he  was  transported  to 
Quebec.  What  his  treatment  was  during  this  voyage 
to  England,  is  unknown  to  me. 


209 

This  however,  is  known,  that  for  many  years,  he 
was  a  prisoner  in  England,  returning  from  his  capti- 
vity to  America,  he  brought  with  him  a  manuscript, 
which  he  afterwards  entitled  "The  Oracle  of  Rea- 
son." My  beloved  children,  it  is  the  furthest  from 
my  thought,  to  confine  your  knowledge  to  narrow 
bounds ;  when  you  dip  into  scriptural  history,  dip  deep, 
do  not  skim  the  surface  of  the  subject,  as  many  foob 
have  done  of  late  days.  Upon  a  thorough  inquiry, 
your  hearts  will  be  animated  by  a  conviction,  that 
there  came  a  Saviour  to  redeem  you  from  eternal  per- 
dition, and  to  provide  for  you,  an  eternal  salvation 
and  state  of  happiness. 

That  book  was  most  certainly  the  composition  of 
Ethan  Allen.  He  was  very  illiterate;  he  did  not 
know  the  orthography  of  our  language.  The  extent 
of  his  learning,  probably  bounded  by  some  historic 
chronicles,  and  a  few  other  books  of  little  account,  did 
not  go  beyond  the  scriptures.  The  gentleman,  who 
gave  me  the  above  information,  was  an  elegant  scho- 
lar, bred  at  Harvard  college.  Going  to  New- York,  in 
the  summer  of  1786,  a  friend  from  mere  curiosity^ 
requested  me  to  purchase  the  book  for  him.  Being 
detained  at  New-York  six  weeks  by  business,  I  fre- 
quently looked  into  the  detestable  volume.  The  argu- 
ment, if  so  diabolic  a  work,  can  be  said  to  contain  ar- 
gument, was  in  general  arranged,  and  conducted  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  "  Age  of  Reason,"  but  in  a 
coarser,  and  yet  a  more  energetic  language,  than  that 
of  the  latter  work.  On  my  return  to  Philadelphia,  in 
a  conversation  with  the  Vermontese  gentleman,  who 
was  still  there,  «  Ethan  Allen's  bible,"  became  a  topic 
of  discourse.  He  gave  me  this  curious  anecdote, 
which  he  averred  upon  his  honor  to  be  true.  A  young 
gentleman,  either  a  scholar  of  Harvard  or  Yale  col- 
lege had  come  into  Vermont,  and  there  taught  a 
school.  Allen  labored  under  the  want  of  an  amanu- 
ensis and  transcriber,  of  knowledge  and  learning. 
The  scholar  to  increase  his  emoluments,  became  such. 
Allen  attended  him  daily,  standing  staff  in  hand,  at 
S 


the  back  of  the  young  man's  chair.  "  Sir,55  he  would 
say  to  Allen  « this  word  is  misspelled,"  "  Amend 
-it:'5  Again  "this  word  is  misplaced,  the  sense  is  in- 
correct, &.c.  Allen,  who  was  most  profane,  would 
swear  (sometimes  raising  his  staff)  "  By  G  *  *  sir, 
you  shall  insert  it ;  you  .shall  not  alter  it."  Thus  the 
« Oracle  of  Reason,"  came  into  the  world;  which,  of 
all  books,  is  the  most  bluntly  vicious,  as  regards. the 
well-being  of  society ;  the  salvation  of  souls ;  and  the 
happiness  of  those,  who  have  faith  in  the  redemption, 
by  the  blood  of  our  Saviour.  But  that  which  is  very 
remarkable,  is,  that  long  after  the  publication  of  Al- 
len's book,  which  had  fallen  into  oblivion,  even  with 
its  readers,  that  vile  reprobate,  Thomas  Paine,  loaded 
with  every  crime,  which  stains  and  dishonors  the  chris- 
nan  and  the  gentleman,  (in  addition  to  his  shameful 
practices  in  life,  Paine,  as  an  author,  superadded 
plagiarism,)  niched  from  Ethan  Allen,  the  great 
body  of  his  deistical  and  atheistical  opinions,  which 
from  the  time  of  Celsus,  down  to  the  age  of  Chubb* 
Tindal  and  others,  have  been  so  often  refuted  by  men, 
of  the  utmost  respectability  of  character  and  fame. 
When  we  reflect  upon  the  vicissitudes  of  this  world, 
its  immense  revolutions  in  temporal  affairs,  the  awful 
persecutions,  which  occurred  in  early  times,  the  col- 
lisions of  opinion  and  party  rage,  in  the  article  of  re- 
ligious belief;  and  the  vast  body  of  martyrs,  -who  de- 
voted their  lives  in  support  of  their  .faith,  we  must 
believe,  that  there  is  something  more  than  ordinary ; 
something  really  Divine  in  the  system  of  our  religion, 
springing  from  God  himself.  In  the  last  ages,  we 
know  of  many  of  both  sexes,  of  the  soundest  and  best 
instructed  minds,  whom  it  is.  almost  needless  to  name, 
unless  it  be  merely  for  the  purpose  of  opposing  their 
virtues  and  characters,  to  persons  of  a  different  mode 
of  thinking.  All  of  them  possessed  a  firm  and  solid 
credence,  in  the  celestial,  origin  of  our  holy-faith,  and 
some  of  them  sealed  their  creed  with  their  blood. 
When  such  men  suffer  because  of  principle,  some 
reliance  should  be  placed  on  their  good  sense  and 


211 

ledge.  The  terms  enthusiasm  and  madness,  have 
been  too  often  coupled ;    as  conveying  the  same  idea : 
George  Fox,  captain  Meade,  and  William  Penn,  have 
been   called  enthusiastic  madmen,  but  we  now  know, 
fchat  they  acted  through  the  course  of  the  religious 
parts  of  their  lives,  from  a  conviction  of  the  principles 
of  the   gospel,    being    genuine    and   absolutely  true. 
However,    on  this  subject,  but  a  few  names  need  be 
repeated  to  convey  to  your  minds  its  importance  and 
solemnity.     Many  of  the  greatest  men,  as  it  concerns 
worldly  things,  were  Christians.     John  Huss,  Jerome 
of  Prague,   Martin  Luther,    John    Calvin,    Cranmer, 
Hooker,  Tillctson,    of  the   clergy  ;    of  the  laity,  Sir 
Thomas  Moore,  Sir  Matthew  Male,  Spangenberg,  Mos- 
heim,    Joseph   Addison,  Richard  Steele,  Lord  Henry 
Littleton,  Soame  Jenyns,  and  thousands  of  others,    all 
men  of  profound  learning,  have  testified  by  their  lives 
and  writings,  a  reliance  on  the  merits  of  the  redemp- 
tion by  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus.     But  when  we  find 
those  men,    supported  and  re-inforced,  by  two  of  the 
strongest   minded   men,    that    ever   lived;    Sir    Isaac 
Newton  and  John  Locke,  who  can  doubt  ?     When  we 
contrast  their   opinions,  with  those  of  Hobbs,  Chubbs 
Henry  St.  John,  Voltaire,  J.  J.  Rousseau,  Beringer, 
the  great  Frederick  of  Prussia,  or  Mr.  Gibbon,  how 
deeply  do  the  last  not  sink,  by  the  weight  of  reason 
and  argument  ?    Allen  and  Paine,  are  paltry  wretches, 
mere   scribblers,  if  classed  with  the  men  last  named. 
Those   were  beautiful  writers,  whose  language  fasci- 
nates, but  corrupts  the  youthful  mind,  these  are  dull 
plodders,  who  know  not  the  principles  of  their  mother 
tongue  ;  but  it  is  perhaps  from  the  circumstance  of 
illiterateness,     that  Allen  and  Paine,    have  attacked 
Christianity  in  so  gross  and  indecorous  a  manner.  The 
maniac  Paine,  when  confined  in  the  prison,  Concier- 
gerie,  at  Paris,  seems   to  boast  "that  he  kept  no  Bi- 
ble."    This  may  be  true.     But  the  expression  shows, 
that  his  proper  place  instead  of  a  common  jail,  should 
have  been  a  rnad- house. 


212 

It  shews  however,  a  vanity  of  mind  beyond  the  bear- 
Ing  of  men  of  understanding.     Indeed  he  was  inflated 
by  a  supercilious  pride,   and  an  imaginary  importance, 
which  made  his  society  undesirable.     He  was  one  of 
that  class  of  men,   who  with  a  small  spice  of  learning, 
in  company,  domineered  as  if  he  had  been  a  Johnson. 
He  was  almost  unbearable  to  many  men,  who  patron- 
ized him,  because  of  the  good  effect  of  his  works  dur- 
ing the  revolution.     To  give  you  a  few  instances ;  the 
late  David  Rittenhouse,  Esq.  one  of  the  most  amiable, 
most  ingenious  and  best  of  men,  treasurer  of  the  state, 
George  Bryan,  Esq.  the  vice-president  of  the  council, 
a  man  of  great  reading  and  much  good  sense,  Jona- 
than  Sergeant,  the  attorney  general  of  Pennsylvania, 
whose  oratorical  powers,  could  scarcely  be  surpassed, 
and  your  grand-father,  and  many  other  gentlemen  of 
character,  during  the  course  of  the  years  '77,  '78  and 
579,  were  in  habits  of  intimacy  with  him,  but  his  dog- 
matic  disposition   and  obstinacy  of  mind,  frequently 
caused  great  disgust.     Again,  colonel   Samuel  John 
Attlee,  an  excellent  patriot,  and  a  man  of  note  among 
us,   both  in  the  military  and  civil  capacities  of  a  citi- 
zen, gave  this   anecdote  to  me,   a  few  months  after 
the  occurrence  happened.     Though  all  the  gentlemen 
present,  approved  of  the  writings   of  Paine,  as  they 
concerned  our  political  state,  lor  they  were  all  of  them 
to  a  man,  good  whigs-,  yet  they  abhorred  him,  because 
of  his  personal  aberrations  irom  virtue,  and  the  decen- 
cies of  social  life.     A  Mr.  Mease  of  Philadelphia,  who 
was  clothier  general,  had  invited  a  number  of  gentle- 
men of  the  army,   then  in  the  city,  to  dine  with  him. 
Among  whom  were  colonel  Attlee,    colonel  Francis 
Johnson,  general  Nichols,  and  many  members  of  the  le- 
gislature of  whom  there  was  Matthias  Slough  of  Lancas- 
ter. You  may  readily  suppose,  that  the  excellent  wine  of 
Mr.  Mease,  exhilarated  the  company.     When  return- 
ing to  their  lodgings,  colonel  Attlee  observed  Paine 
coming  towards  them  down  Market-street.       There 
comes    "  Common  Sense,"  says  Attlee  to  the  com- 
pany.     "Damn  him,   says  Slough,   I  shall   common 


213 

sense  him."  As  he  approached  the  party,  they  took 
the  wall.  Mr.  Slough  tripped  him,  and  threw  him 
on  his  back  into  a  gutter,  which  at  that  time,  was 
very  offensive  and  filthy.. 

This  is  told,  to  communicate  a  trait  to  you,  in  the 
character  of  Thomas  Paine,  who  did  some  good,  but 
a  vast  deal  of  harm  to  mankind,  "  that  the  very  people 
who  were  most  benefitted  by  his  literary  labours,  hat- 
ed him."  The  company  I  have  spoken  of,  were  all 
men  of  eminence  in  the  state ;  men  who  staked  their 
all,  on  the  issue  of  the  revolution.  The  writings  of 
Paine  as  concerns  us,  are  many  of  them  handsomely 
worded,  have  pith  and  much  strength  of  argument, 
and  are  in  general  correct,  yet  his  domestic  life  and 
manners,  were  so  very  incorrect,  that  a  disgust,  which 
was  perhaps  right,  destroyed  every  favorable  person- 
al feeling  towards  him.  His  indelicacy  was  intoler- 
able. His  numbers  of  Common  Sense,  the  Crisis,  and 
some  other  of  his  fugitive  pieces,  every  American 
who  recollects  those  "  trying  times,"  must  acknow- 
ledge to  have  been  extremely  beneficial  to  our  cause. 
This  has  often  been  admitted  by  our  generals  Wash- 
ington, Gates,  Greene,  &c.  but  he  was  compensated, 
and  had  the  secretaryship  for  foreign  affairs.  Like  all 
men  of  bad  principles,  he  betrayed  his  trust,  and  a 
virtuous  Congress  displaced  him,  yet  the  different 
states,  more  than  remunerated  him  for  all  his  writings. 

So  it  is,  that  that  man,  who  was  without  virtue,  a 
disturber  of  society,  an  ill  husband,  an  unworthy  citi- 
zen, cloaked  by  every  vice,  would  now  by  his  u  Age 
of  Reason,"  which  he  stole  from  the  ignorant  Ethan 
Alien,  who  was  as  iniquitous  as  himself,  destroy  the 
peace  of  mind,  and  all  the  hope  of  happiness  in  futu- 
rity, of  those  who  rely  oh  the  redemption  of  their 
souls,  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  that,  without  sub- 
stituting' or  even  suggesting,  any  other  manner  ot 
fa;th,  tending  to  quiet  the  minds  of  sinners*  J  knew 
Paine  well,  and  that  personally,  for  he  lodged  in  the 
house  of  my  father,  during  the  time  that  general 
Howe  aad  Clinton,  were  in  Philadelphia*  His  host 
S  3 


often  regretted  the  entertainment  he  gave  him.      His 
manners  were  in  opposition  and  hostile  to  the  obser- 
vances of  the  proprieties  and  due  ordinances  of  social 
life.     Many  who  approved  of  his  political   writings, 
abominated  his  detestable  mode  of  living  and  acting. 
[I  am  justified  in  using  these  expressions,  by  an  oc- 
currence in  1794,  with  my  own  mother.  She  was  a  wo- 
man of  strong  understanding,  and  of  unfeigned  and  ri- 
^id  belief  in  the   truths  of  Gospel-history,  yet  a  dis- 
passionate placid  and  mild  religionist.     Her  heart  was 
so  free  from  thinking  ill  of  any  one,  that  of  a  truth,  of 
her  it  might  be  said  "  she  knew  no  guile."     One  day 
going  to  a  bookseller's  in  Lancaster,  I  met  with  an 
extract  in  the  shape  of  a  pamphlet  of  Doctor  Joseph 
stley's  "History  of  the  Corruptions  of  Christianity." 
Hever  having  seen  any  of  that  gentleman's  polemic 
works,  it  was  purchased.     My  mother  as  usual,  came 
in,  in  the  evening,  to  sit  and  converse  with  my  family. 
1  was  reading  the  pamphlet.     "  What  have  you  got?" 
."A  work  of  Doctor   Priestley's  on  religion."     I  was 
then    at  the   chapter   of  the  "  Doctrine  of  the  Atone- 
ment of  Christ,"  for  the  sins  of  the  world.     The  title 
of  the  chapter  excited  the  attention  of  my  mother. 
Before  she  came  in,  the  passage  had  been  partly  per- 
used, and  she  eagerly  asked  me  "  to  read  the  whole  of  it 
to  her?"  I  began,  but  had  scarcely  proceeded  through 
two  or  three  pages,  when  she  rapped  the  book  from 
iny   hands,    and  threw  it  into  the  fire,  where  it  was 
.most  deservedly  burned.      Smilingly,  I  said  mother, 
why   do   you  destroy  my  book  ?    The  reply  was  with 
an   observable  degree  of  anger,  "  because  your  book 
would  destroy  my  happiness,  in  this  and  the  world  to 
come !    I  know  that  I  have  a  Saviour,  who  redeemed 
me,  whose  blood  v/as  shed  upon  the  cross  for  me:  of 
this,  I  am  convinced.     Your  book  goes  to  make  me 
doubt  of  the  merits,  of  the  sufferings,  of  that  Saviour. 
The  book  would  deprive  me  of  the  only  staff,  upon 
which  my  hope  of  salvation  rests,  and  gives  me  none 
other,  upon  which  I  can  lean."     These  notions  of  my 
beloved  mother,   which  accorded  fully  with  my  own: 


215 

on  that  topic,  were  submitted  to  with  a  juvenile  frank* 
ness,  which  pleased  her,  and  of  all  the  world,  I  knew 
none  whom  I  so  much  wished  to  oblige,  as  that  dear* 
amiable  and  instructive  mother.  My  father  had  been, 
,a  mechanic  of  much  respectability,  and  great  skill. 
During  the  war,  usually  called  "  Bradock's  war,"  and 
afterwards  in  Forbes*  campaign,  (in  1758,)  he  was  at 
the  head  of  the  armoury,  which  in  those  days,  was  no 
mean  station,  and  required  talents  of  a  superior  grade. 
Afterwards,  having  made  a  tolerable  fortune,  he  en- 
tered into  trade,  but  his  inclinations  led  him  into  chy- 
mical  experiments.  His  evenings  and  mornings,  were 
devoted  to  the  laboratory.  This  gave  rise  to  my  mo- 
ther's acquaintance  with  Mr.  Priestly,  as  an  experi- 
mental philosopher.  For  the  instruction  of  his  child- 
ren, my  father  would  discourse  upon  the  subjects  of 
science  and  particularly  of  chymistry,  which  was  his 
favorite  theme,  and  in  which  the  names  pf  Franklin 
and  Priestley,  were  sure  to  stand  foremost.  My  be- 
loved parent's  manner,  showed  me  that  she  was  stung 
to  the  quick.  My  apology  to  her,  had  the  desired 
effect,  as  her  curiosity  and  mine,  sprung  from  similar 
motives  "a  desire  to  know  the  religious  opinions  of 
a  man,  of  whom  we  had  had  superlative  ideas,"  be- 
cause of  his  acquirements  in  many  other  branches  of 
knowledge. 

The  position  wished  to  be  proved  to  you,  by  this 
relation ;  which  is  true,  is  « that  for  the  sake  of  pub- 
«  lie  and  private  comfort  and  genial  happiness,  it  is 
«  better  not  to  disturb  the  devout  mind  by  fanciful  and 
«  newfangled  schemes  of  belief,  and  that  those  should 
«  be  open  only  to  the  eyes  of  the  learned !"  My  mother 
was  a  person  of  extensive  reading;  her  religious  ten- 
ets and  faith,  were  solely  grounded  on  the  scriptures, 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  as  these  in  her  mind, 
were  considered  as  clearly  correct,  but  nevertheless, 
she  was  fearful  of  a  disturbance  of  her  mind  by  the 
quirks  and  quibbles  of  deistical  scribblers.  Therefore 
to  interfere  with  her  devotional  principles,  in  so  rude 
and  heterodox  a -manner,  tended  to  derange  her  ch?»r:i> 


216 

ing  mind,  and  devastate  those  elegant  maxims  of  Chris- 
tian belief,  which  the  excellency  of  her  maternal  edu- 
cation had  infused  into  her  heart ;  in  short,  to  destroy 
that  firmness,  with  which  she  relied  on  the  merits  and 
sufferings  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Such  men  as  Hobbs,  Chubb,  &c.  seem  not  to  have 
reflected  on  the  dreadful  ills  and  calamities,  their  writ- 
ings would  create,  if  their  books  came  into  general 
circulation.  If  they  did  reflect,  posterity  ought  to  con- 
sider them  to  have  been  the  tygers  and  hyenas  of  hu- 
man society,  opposed  to  the  well-being  of  the  human 
race.  Voltaire  and  John  James  Rousseau,  in  my  hum- 
ble opinion,  intended  well  to  the  people  of  France, 
but  when  speaking  of  those  gentlemen,  we  should  re- 
collect, that  they,  as  well  as  the  virtuous  arid  celebrat- 
ed Montesquieu,  were  the  subjects  of  a  prince,  who 
might  if  he  pleased,  be  despotic :  but  that  which  was 
still  worse,  was,  that  the  people  were  abandoned  to 
the  control  of  a  theological  aristocracy — bigoted,  weal- 
thy, imperious  and  scandalously  subjected  to  vices, 
in  many  instances,  greater  than  those  of  laymen,  inso- 
much, that  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  because  of 
the  infamous  lives,  and  the  oppressions  of  all  classes  of 
the  nation  by  the  clergy,  there  was  scarcely  a  gentle- 
man in  the  kingdom,  who  was  not  deistically  inclined. 
For  when  the  ministers  of  a  religion  of  so  high  sanc- 
tity, as  that  of  our  Holy  Faith,  demean  themselves 
in  a  manner,  which  evinces  to  laymen,  their  want 
of  confidence  in  the  religion,  (which  they  had  been 
consecrated  to  propagate  and  enforce,)  by  an  unholy 
life  and  conduct,  particularly  in  their  cruel  exactions, 
from  devotees ;  in  the  latter  instance,  of  enormous 
fees,  and  various  demands  ot"  tithes  of  a  most  exorbit- 
ant nature,  which  from  time  to  time,  they  wickedly 
usurped.  Hence,  it  arose  that  Montesqueiu,  Voltaire*, 
Diderot,  Rousseau,  and  hundreds  of  others,  of  the 
learned  men  of  France,  (considering  the  state  of  that 
government,)  formed  a  phalanx  of  historic  knowledge* 
genuine  reasoning,  true  wit,  and  an  inexhau stable 
fund  of  humor.,  which  slurred  their  opponents  to  such 


217 

a  degree,  as  in  the  minds  of  the  generality  of  Europe 
gave  them  a  deserved  victory  even  over  the  govern- 
ment, which  supported  the  theocracy,  with  its  vast 
power.  It  also  most  probably,  came  from  thence, 
that  those  men  under  the  clerical  persecutions  raised 
against  them,  (for  many  were  confined  in  the  dunge- 
ons,) in  the  heat  of  controversy,  emitted  opinions  and 
ideas,  inconsistent  with  our  pure  simple  and  holy  reli- 
gion, according  to  the  Augsburg  creed,  which  we 
know,  has  been  adopted,  either  in  the  whole  or  in 
part,  by  all  the  reformed  churches.  In  polemic  dis- 
putes, and  perhaps  more  particularly,  in  those  which 
happen  in  monarchies,  there  is  an  acrimony  and  iras- 
cibility of  temper,  inflaming  the  minds  of  men  gener- 
ally, greater  than  is  the  case  in  democracies.  The 
cause  seems  to  be,  that  in  monarchies,  the  priesthood 
becomes  a  machine  of  government,  in  democracies,  it 
is  the  vehicle,  by  which  the  people  simply  adore  God. 

Those  controversies,  between  the  so  styled  philoso- 
phers of  France  and  the  clergy,  were  conducted  with 
such  hatred,  and  obloquy  towards  each  other,  that 
they  elicited  sparks,  which  enkindled  that  nation,  in 
a  dreadful  flame  of  internal  destruction  ;  and  the  brand 
has  not  only  communicated  itself  to  all  Europe,  but  in 
general  to  the  world  at  large.  Since  the  time  of  Juli- 
us Caesar,  nothing  has  occurred  equal  in  barbarity, 
irruption,  bloodshed,  murder,  by  public  or  domestic 
treason,  as  that  which  has  happened  in  Europe,  since 
the  year  1789.  Gracious  and  omnipotent  God,  restore 
the  peace  of  the  world ! !  !] 

Such  is  the  man,  who  upon  his  slight  intercourse 
with  the  American  people,  pluming  himself*  with  the 
well-earned  celebrity  of  his  political  pieces,  that  now 
presumes  .-to-  become  a  reformer  of  our  morals,  our 
religious  opinions  and  thinkings  on  Divine  subjects : 
He  himself  a  reprobate,  cloaked  by  every  vice,  would 
dictate  to  a  great  and  independent  Christian  people, 
their  formulary  of  belief.  Such  insolence  and  pre- 
sumption, was  never  before  witnessed  unless  it  was 
in  the  instance  of  Mahomet,  or  in  those  cf  the  i<n> 


218 

postures,  (such  as  Sabbati  Sevi,)  who  frequently  as 
Messias,  appeared  to  deceive  the  remnant  of  the  Jew- 
ish people.  Paine  with  all  his  other  vices  had  a  foible 
injurious  to  our  country.  To  keep  up  the  spirits  of 
the  people  it  was  requisite,  that  there  should  be  a 
series  of  patriotic  publications.  Paine  was  the  most 
indolent  of  men  ;  if  he  was  inspired  by  a  muse,  the 
goddess  most  certainly,  made  him  but  few  visits.  The 
office  of  "secretary  of  foreign  affairs/'  was  confer- 
red upon  him,  because  of  the  merit  of  his  u  Common 
Sense,"  or  what  are  called  the  "  Crisis,"  under  the 
signature  of  "  Common  Sense."  It  was  to  him  per- 
sonally a  sinecure.  He  never  went  to  York  (Penn.) 
where  Congress  then  sat,  but  occasionally,  and  staid  but 
a  day  or  two.  His  true  employment,  was  that  of  a  poli- 
tical writer.  In  the  summer  and  winter  of  1777,  and 
1778,  he  was  an  inmate  of  my  father's  house,  as  were 
the  late  David  Rittenhouse,  the  state-treasurer,  and 
John  Hart,  a  member  of  the  then  "  executive-coun- 
cil." 

Paine  would  walk  of  a  morning  until  12  o'clock; 
come  in  and  make  an  inordinate  dinner.  The  rising 
from  table  was  between  two  and  three  o'clock.  He 
would  then  retire  to  his  bed-chamber,  wrap  a  blanket 
around  him,  and  in  a  large  arm-chair,  take  a  nap,  of 
two  or  three  hours — rise  and  walk.  These  walks,  and 
his  indolence,  surprised  my  parents  ;  they  knew  him  as 
the  author  of  "  Common  Sense,"  who  had  written  patri- 
otically, and  in  those  writings,  promulged  some  moral 
and  religious  ideas,  which  induced  them  to  believe  he 
was  an  orthodox  Christian.  Indeed  Paine,  during  the 
revolution,  was  careful  to  emit  no  irreligious  dogmas, 
or  any  of  his  late  diabolic  ideas ;  if  he  had,  the  good 
sense  of  the  American  people,  their  virtue,  and  un- 
feigned worship  of  the  Efceity,  would  have,  in  those 
days,  banished  him  from  their  country.  Your  grand- 
fathers feelings  a  few  months  before  his  death,  (which 
occurred  on  the  15th  of  December,  1786,)  when  speak- 
ing of  the  unbeliever  (Paine,)  were  truly  poignant ;  for 
now  the  wretch's  true  character  had  began  to  open  on 
the  world.  He  lamented  with  tears,  that  he  had  eve- 


219 

admitted  him  into  his  house,  or  had  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance and  intercourse  with  him.  He  was  from  convic- 
tion, a  sincere  Christian,  converted  by  the  scriptures  ;  of 
a  strong  mind,  and  of  a  most  tender  conscience. 

Do  not  permit  any  thing  now  said,  to  induce  you  to 
undervalue  the  sagacity  of  my  father,  for  he  was  wise : 
but  of  so  benevolent  a  mind,  that  in  the  common  affairs 
of  life,  he  held  a  principle  in  morality  as  true,  which  is 
by  no  mean  generally  received ;  to  wit,  "  That  we 
should  consider  every  one  as  possessing  probity,  until 
we  discover  him  to  be  otherwise."  Other  gentlemen 
think  differently.  However,  it  may  well  be  maintained 
that  the  side  my  father  took  on  this  topic,  which  I  have 
often  heard  argued,  accords  with  the  true  spirit  of  the 
gospel,  the  other  side  is  stoicism.  From  these  last 
observations,  you  will  readily  perceive  how  easy  it  was 
to  impose  on  my  father.  This  is  the  reason  for  his 
entertaining  Paine.  I  have,  said  that  Paine  was  indo- 
lent. Take  this  as  an  instance :  The  Crisis,  No.  V,  is 
but  a  short  political  essay,  to  be  sure  of  great  skill  in 
the  composition,  of  much  eloquent  invective,  strong 
reasoning,  some  historic  anecdote,  and  a  fund  of  ridi- 
cule which  fitted  the  passions  of  the  times.  But  recol- 
lect that  this  piece,  to  Paine,  was  a  labour  of  three 
months  in  the  enditing.  It  was  written  in  my  father's 
house.  Mr.  D.  Rittenhouse  inhabited  the  front  room, 
in  the  upper  story,  where  was  the  library.  There  he 
kept  the  office  of  the  treasury  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
room  of  Mr.  Hart  and  Paine,  was  to  the  left  hand  as 
you  come  to  the  stair-head  entering  the  library. 

When  my  wound  in  1778,  was  so  far  mended,  that 
hobbling  on  crutches,  or  by  creeping  up  stairs,  (as  you 
may  have  seen  me  of  late  years  do,)  my  greatest  recre- 
ation in  my  distressed  state  of  mind,  was  to  get  into 
the  chamber  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse  where  the  books  were. 
There,  his  conversation,  (for  he  was  most  affable,,)  en- 
livened my  mind,  and  the  books  would  so  amuse  it, 
that  it  became  calm,  .and  some  desperate  resolutions 
were  dissolved.  While  that  excellent  man  was  em- 
ploying his  hours  iu  the  duties  of  his  office,  for  the 


220 

benefit  of  the  people,  Paine  would  be  snoring  away  hib 
precious  time  in  his  easy  chair,  regardless  of  those  in- 
junctions imposed  upon  him  by  congress,  in  relation  to 
his  political  compositions.  His  remissness,  indolence 
or  .vacuity  of  thought,  caused  great  heart-burning 
among  many  primary  characters,  in  those  days.  I  have 
heard  the  late  George  Bryan,  Esq.  then  vice-president 
of  the  council,  speak  of  his  gross  neglects  with  remark- 
able harshness.  I  would  sometimes  go  into  Paine's 
room,  and  sit  with  him.  His  Crisis,  No.  V,  lay  on 
his  table,  dusted :  to-day  three  or  four  lines  would  be 
added,  in  the  course  of  a  week,  a  dozen  more,  and  so  on. 
No.  V.  is  dated  2 1st  March,  1778,  but  it  was  not  pub- 
lished until  some  months  after  that  date,  and  it  was 
generally  thought  by  good  whigs,  that  it  had  been  too 
long  delayed.  For  my  own  part,  I  was  so  passionately 
engaged  at  heart,  in  the  principles  of  our  cause,  that 
Paine's  manner  of  living  and  acting,  gave  me  a  high 
disgust  towards  him.  No  idea  could  enter  my  mind, 
that  any  one  in  that  noble  struggle  could  be  idle  or 
disengaged.  As  to  myself,  my  sensations  were  such,, 
that  the  example  of  a  Dccius  might  have  been  re- 
newed. 


NOTE  IX.  page  130. 

I  have  related  this  as  I  received  it — from  my  own 
knowledge,  I  can  say  nothing — I  leave  to  the  world 
to  determine  the  credibility  the  story  is  entitled  to. 


NOTE  X.  Page  -152. 

In  former  times,  as  now,  lying  was  in  vogue,  but 
methinks  within  the  last  thirty  years,  there  have  been 
vast  improvements  in  the  art.  Receive  information  of 
two  instances,  which  were  somewhat  remarkable  in 
those  days.  Simpson,  one  of  the  most  spirited  and  ac- 
tive of  officers— always  alert — always  on  duty,  was  tra- 


221 

and  vilified  for  a  want  of  courage,  because  lie 
was  not  taken  a  prisoner  at  Quebec.  This  small  can- 
ton,;(Paxton,)  was  bursting  with  the  falsehoods  propa* 
gatea  on  this  subject.  On  the  other  hand,  captain  M. 
Smith,  our  commander,  was  applauded  for  his  immense 
bravery  shewn  in  the  attack  of  that  place,  when  in  fact* 
he  was  on  the  isle  of  Orleans,  many  miles  distant  from 
the  city.  Simpson  had  been  commanded  to  that  place 
by  a  regular  order  from  colonel  Arnold.  Captain 
Smith  skulked  thither  illicitly.  Here  is  a  fac-simile, 
as  to  orthography  of  Arnold's  order  to  Lieut.  Simpson, 
which  I  took  from  the  original  now  in  his  possession. 
On  my  part,  it  seems  to  be  a  duty  to  make  it  known  to 
you  in  justification  of  an  excellent  patriot,  one  of  my 
friends  from  early  youth. 

*<  LIEUT.  SIMPSON* 

"SiR. — You  are  to  proceed  to  Orleans,  and  take 
«  charge  of  the  men  there,  and  keep  all  provisions  from 
u  going  to  town  :  you  will  be  assidzous  in  gaming  the 
«  esteem  of  the  inhabitants^  who  are  now  complaining 
"that  they  have  been  treated  in  a  rigorous  manner: 
«  for  provisions  or  assistance,  you  receive  from  them, 
«  yon  will  pay  them  the  value,  or  give  orders  on  me  for 
«  the  for  the  same  I  make  no  doubt  but  you  will  endea- 
«  your  to  cultivate  the  friendship  of  the  people  as  far  as 
"is  consistent  with  your  duty.  You  will  be  careful/  to 
«  keep  your  men  under  strict  discipline,  and  not  suffer 
"  them  to  have  too  much  liquor.  I  am  told  there  has 
«  been  open  house  kept  there.  You  will  us£  as  much 
"economy  as  is  consistent  with  our  circumstances." 
« I  am, 
«  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

«B.  ARNOLD,  Col/ 
«  December  29,  1775." 

[This  rigor  was  administered  by  a  William  Cros*, 
tmr  third  lieutenant,  with  as  free  a  hand  as  he  was  lax 
•*n  his  principles  of  morality,     Cross  wets  a  handsome 
T 


222 

little  Irishman,  always  neatly  dressed,  and  commanded 
a  detachment  of  about  twenty  men.  The  Canadian 
gentlemen,  who  came  as  agents  from  the  islanders  on 
this  occasion,  stated  that  Cross  had  extorted  from  them 
their  wines  and  other  liquors,  and  all  kinds  of  provi- 
sions, which  he  lavished  on  worthless  people ;  making 
no  compensation  for  his  exactions.  Tnis  was  rigor 
indeed !  for  the  people  of  the  isle  were  our  friends.  In 
short,  this  unworthy  officer  kept  "  open  house,"  and 
jfe  had  a  short,  but  a  luxurious  and  merry  reign  over  that 
charming  spot.  He  was  not  with  us  at  the  attack  of 
the  city,  but  gaily  danced  his  way  to  quarters.] 

Smith  wrote  but  Simpson  acted.  A  letter  from 
Smith  to  a  worthy  and  patriotic  clergyman,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Elder,  of  Paxton,  which  was  filled  with  bombast  and 
trash,  and  stuffed  with  the  most  flagrant  untruths ;  that 
he  was  in  the  "  midst  of  the  battle — covered  by  smoke; 
bullets  of  all  sizes  playing  around  him,  Sec.  &c."  every 
word  of  which  was  fabulous.  This  person  was  among 
the  last  of  those  savage  men,  who  murdered  the  inno- 
cent and  unoffending  Indians  in  the  jail  of  the  town  we 
now  live  in.  They  have  all  died  miserably  ;  but  a  few 
remaining  to  relate  the  anecdote  of  the  occurrence  of 
that  horrible  massacre. 

NOTE  XII.  page  168. 

The  late  captain  Thomas  Boyd,  the  strongest  and 
largest  man  among  us,  when  coming  to  the  air,  frequent- 
ly fainted;  one  Rothrock  of  Morgan's,  had  so  foe  ted 
a  breath,  that  it  was  disgusting  to  enter  the  room  he 
inhabited;  one  of  Lamb's  company,  lost  his  gums  and 
some  of  his  teeth,  all  were  loose,  of  which,  I  am  cer- 
tain as  his  mouth  was  examined  by  me. 

NOTE  XIII.  page  1TO. 

This  gentleman  was  6  feet  4  or  5  inches  high,  and 
.as  well  proportioned.  His  disposition,  was  a 


223 

one.  He  spoke  his  own  language  admirably,  and 
French  fluently,  but  no  English,  Knowing  from  his 
military  dress  and  manners,  that  he  was  a  German* 
J  was  induced  to  address  him  in  that  language.  He 
appeared  astonished,  yet  pleased  at  hearing  his  own 
tongue  from  an  American  lad — inquired  concerning 
Pennsylvania,  our  way  to  Quebec,  Sec.  but  seemed 
apprehensive  of  the  jealousy  of  the  English  officially? 
'\vho  did  not  understand  us.  The  Baron  Knyphausen 
wanted  an  interpreter.  Captain  Prentis,  who  was  re- 
ally my  friend  made  me  the  proposition,  as  from  the 
Baron,  and  used  various  alignments  to  induce  a  com- 
pliance, all  of  which  were  spurned.  In  1778  or  1779, 
I  had  again  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  major  at  Lan- 
caster, in  the  company  of  my  father,  but  he  was  then- 
a  prisoner. 


NOTE  XIV.  page  173. 

Red  willow  ( 'Salix  fiurfiurea.)  This  shrub,  which 
is  a  native  of  the  United  States,  is  spread  throughout 
our  climates.  The  outer  bark,  of  a  deep  red  color, 
peels  in  a  very  thin  scale,  the  inner  is  scraped  off  with 
a  knife,  and  is  dried  either  in  the  sun  or  over  the  fire.. 
The  scent  when, burning,  is  delightful.  To  increase 
the  flavor,  the  Indians  pluck  the  current  years  branch- 
es of  the  upland  sumach,  and  dry  it  in  bunches  over 
the  smoke  of  a  fire.  A  half  part  of  Red-willow  bark, 
added  to  as  much  of  the  dryed  sumach  forms  the  kille- 
kinic.  Those  ingredients  added  to  a  third  part  ol  leaf  to- 
bacco, and  the  mass  rubbed  finely  together  in  the  palm 
of  the  hand,  makes  that  delicious  fume,  so  fascinating 
to  the  red,  and  also  to  the  white  men.  Care  must  be 
taken  by  the  consumer,  not  to  use  the  swamp  sumach 
(Rhus  Vtrnix )  for  the  upland  ( Ehits  Glabrum)  as 
the  former  is  most  poisonous,  and  resembles  the  lat- 
ter, in  the  bark  and  leaf  so  much,  that  an  incurious 
eye,  might  be  deceived.  The  difference  to  a  stranger 
may  be  distinctively  marked  by  observing,  that  the 


224 

of  berries  of  the  upland  sumach,  is  a  qpne 
closely  attached  to  each  other,  and  when  ripe  of  a  red- 
dish color.  The  berries  of  the  swamp  sumach,  hang 
loosely  pendant,  from  a  lengthy  foot-stalk,  and  when 
ripe,  are  of  a  greenish-grey:  at  least  I  never  saw  the 
berry  in  any  other  state.  The  unhappy  person,  who 
would  employ  the  swamp  sumach  in  smoking,  would 
forfeit  his  eyesight.  This  truth  I  had  from  Natanis  in 
Canada,  and  it  has  since,  many  years  ago,  been  con- 
firmed to  me  by  the  celebrated  Seneca  "  The  Corn- 
planter/'  You  know  the  experience  of  our  own  fami- 
ly, when  clearing  the  swamp,  as  to  the  deleterious  qua- 
lities of  the  wood  as  fuel :  your  mother  suffered  great- 
ly from  its  poisonous  vapors.  The  moose-deer  prefer 
the  red- willow  as  food ;  we  most  frequently  observed 
them  in  its  neighbourhood.  The  vanilla  of  South  Ame- 
rica, has  been  applied  by  the  Spanish  manufactors  of 
tobacco,  in  various  ways ;  it  is  strange,  that  we  have 
never  assayed  the  Killekinic. 


NOTE  XV.  page  174. 


It    will  perhaps  be    proper    to    give  you  an  idea 
of  the    parole  exacted   at  that  time.      "We  whose 
"names    are    hereunder   written,    do    solemnly    pro- 
«  mise  and  engage,   to  his  excellency  general  Carle - 
«  ton,  not  to  say  or  do,  any  thing  against  his  majes- 
<  ty's  person  or  government;  and  to  repair  whenever 
i  required  so  to  do  by  his  excellency,    or  any  of  his 
*  majesty's  commanders  in  chief  in  America,    doth 
please  to  direct,  in  testimony  of  which,   we  have- 
hereunto  set  our  hands  this  day  at  Quebec.     August 


J.  J.  H.  &c." 
I  received  the  original  paper  in   1778,   in  conse- 
quence of  an  exchange  of  the  St.  John's  prisoners  for 


225 
NOTE  XVI.  page  187. 

Who  do  you  think  this  was  ?  Why  Stephen  Lutz, 
of  Lancaster— poor  but  industrious.  I  have  thanked 
him  a  thousand  times  since,  and  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  obliging  him. 


FINIS. 


M7124 


&**  & 


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